THE  ARGYLE  SETTLEMENT 
IN  HISTORY  AND  STORY 


I  ANIEL  G.  HARVEY 


LI  B  HARY 

OF  THE 

UN  IVLRSITY 

OF    ILLINOIS 


977. 3Z 
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IlLINOiS  HISTORY  SUHVEY 


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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


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THE  ARGYLE  SETTLEMENT  IN  HISTORY 
AND  STORY 


By 
Daniel  G.  Harvey 


Copyright 

D.  G.  Harvey, 

Rockford,  Illinois 

1924 


Daniel  G.  Harvey 


CONTENTS 


•  tMMIIKX 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     Kintyre;  the  Homeland 1 

II.     The  Pioneers    10 

III.  Founder  of  Argyle  Settlement 15 

IV.  John  Greenlee  Takes  up  Claim 30 

V.  Early  Days    39 

VI.      More  Emigrants    50 

VII.     The  Schools    61 

VIII.      More  Families  from  Homeland 74 

IX.      New  Church  Built 83 

X.      The  Railroads,  Towns  and  Miscellaneous.  ...  87 

XI.     War  Spark  Set  Off 107 

Funeral  Sermon  of  John  Greenlee,  Sr 1 38 

Last  words  in  the  Old  Church  at  Willow  Creek  1 54 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING  PAGE 

Daniel  G.  Harvey Frontispiece 

Map  Locating  First  Log  Cabins 12 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Greenlee 16 

Diagram  of  Old  Willow  Creek  Church 60 


1836-1924 

To  the  pioneers  of  the  Argyle  Settlement 
and  to  all  who  helped  me  to  gather  the  facts 
of  the  Argyle  Settlement  in  history  and  story, 
I  dedicate  this  writing.  Not  that  it  is  a  full 
record  as  the  time  is  far  past.  The  pioneers 
have  all  gone  to  their  reward  and  there  are 
only  a  few  now  in  life  who  were  the  boys  and 
girls  of  the  pioneer  days.  The  writer  stands, 
as  it  were,  between  two  generations,  having 
known  all  the  pioneers,  also  the  young  genera- 
tion. In  order  that  the  trials  and  hardships 
of  the  pioneer  days  may  not  be  entirely  lost 
and  forgotten,  it  is  my  desire  to  hand  down 
to  the  young  people  the  story  of  their  ancestors 
that  they  may  better  understand  how  they 
came  into  possession  of  the  privileges  and  bless- 
ings they  now  enjoy. 

Daniel  G.  Harvey. 


INTRODUCTION 

Foreasmuch  as  no  one  else  has  ever  taken  in  hand  to  set 
forth  in  order  a  declaration  of  the  experiences  that  lie  in  the 
background  of  the  Argyle  Settlement  and  account  for  its 
splendid  history,  I  am  glad  that  it  has  seemed  good  to  Mr. 
D.  G.  Harvey,  who  has  had  a  good  understanding  of  all 
these  things,  either  by  personal  experience  or  by  diligent  in- 
vestigation, to  set  them  in  order  for  the  present  and  future 
generations.  I  am  sure  that  it  is  an  invaluable  service  that 
merits  the  appreciation  of  all  who  cherish  even  the  remotest 
interest  in  the  Argyle  Settlement. 

"The  Argyle  Settlement  in  History  and  Story'*  is  a  prec- 
ious record  that  would  have  soon  been  lost  had  it  not  been 
thus  preserved.  It  will  come  even  now  as  a  new  story  to 
many  of  the  descendants  of  those  rugged  pioneers  who  laid 
its  foundations.  It  is  a  thrilling  story  of  heroic  men  and 
women,  who  with  the  blood  of  the  Covenanters  coursing 
though  their  hearts  and  Puritanic  faith  stirring  their  souls,  also 
became  pilgrims,  seeking  freedom  from  economic  oppression 
and  an  opportunity  for  self  determination.  The  annals  of  their 
experiences  set  forth  herein  present  an  interesting  study  of  the 
constructive  forces  that  enabled  a  practically  penniless  people, 
within  the  scope  of  a  single  generation,  to  convert  a  frontier 
wilderness  into  an  earthly  paradise  of  rich  farms,  comfortable 
homes,  fine  families,  and  a  community  with  a  spirit  and  a 
Church  with  a  stability  that  quicken  the  interest  of  all  who 
come  in  touch  with  them. 

What  are  those  hidden  forces,  those  underflowing  currents 
that  have  carried  these  people  on  to  victory?  The  willingness 
to  toil  earnestly  and  the  ability  to  cast  away  care  and  to  play 
happily  at  party  or  picnic  or  wedding  are  there.  A  wise  and 
careful  economy  and  a  sagacious  quest  for  the  best  in  method 
and  in  equipment  also  have  a  place.  But  these  forces  have 
all  been  united  and  crowned  by  another  force  that  must  al- 
ways be  found  among  a  people  that  is  permanently  success- 


fill.  That  force  is  true  religion.  Go  into  the  home  life  and 
you  will  find  there  the  serene  influence,  of  the  fear  of  God 
and  the  love  of  His  House,  which  makes  Scottish  homelife 
'loved  at  home  and  revered  abroad.'  Go  into  the  Church  life 
and  you  will  find  an  institution  that,  like  its  founders,  is  sturdy 
and  stable  and  strong.  It  was  early  built  and  has  been  stead- 
fastly maintained  for  well  night  four  score  years.  Meanwhile 
it  has  stood  at  the  heart  of  the  community's  life,  giving  poise 
and  purpose  to  life  and  building  men  for  God. 

I  predict  that  this  little  book,  as  it  preserves  this  precious 
story,  will  be  a  bearer  of  blessings  as  it  begets  and  sustains  a 
reverent  respect  for  the  past  with  its  sacrifices  and  hardships, 
and  also  a  resolution  that  this  heritage  of  the  past  shall  not  be 
impoverished  in  the  present  or  the  future.  I  predict  also  that 
this  book  shall  find  its  rightful  place  among  the  cherished 
possessions  of  those  to  whom  it  comes,  and  that  it  will  provide 
many  a  happy  hour  beside  the  future  firesides. 

Rev.  Edgar  W.  Smith. 


Chapter  I 
KINTYRE;  THE  HOMELAND 

"We  spend  our  years  as  a  tale  that  is  told." — Ps.  90:9. 

In  order  to  have  a  right  understanding  of  the  circumstances 
and  conditions  that  led  to  the  founding  of  a  colony  of  Kintyre 
people  in  Boone  and  Winnebago  counties  in  Northern  Illinois, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  district  of  Kintyre  in 
Argyleshire,  Scotland.  Kintyre  is  a  penisula  in  the  southern 
part  of  Argyleshire,  forty-one  and  one-half  miles  long  and 
seven  miles  wide.  To  Americans,  who  are  accustomed  to 
long  distances,  it  may  seem  a  small  tract  of  country.  Not- 
withstanding this  fact,  Kintyre  people  or  their  descendants 
are  to  be  found  in  nearly  every  civilized  country  in  the  world. 
It  is  divided  into  many  parishes.  Campbeltown  and  South- 
end are  the  parishes  that  the  pioneers  of  the  Argyle  Settle- 
ment came  from.  As  regards  the  size  of  the  district  of  Kintyre, 
is  it  not  true  that  small  countries  have  often  been  the  scene  in 
making  the  history  of  the  world?  Belgium  is  a  little  country 
yet  it  has  been  the  battle  ground  of  Europe.  Likewise  Scot- 
land, though  small,  has  been  the  battle  ground  of  religious 
liberty. 

A  short  description  of  the  country  may  be  interesting  to 
those  who  have  never  seen  it.  There  are  no  railway  connec- 
tions between  Kintyre  and  other  parts  of  Scotland.  It  is  only 
by  steam  shipline  or  coach  and  auto  buss  that  travelers  can 
reach  the  district.  Campbeltown  Loch  and  Harbor  is  one  of 
the  best  in  Scotland.  The  entrance  to  the  Loch  is  surrounded 
with  magnificient  scenery,  almost  mountainous,  Knock  Scal- 
bert  on  the  right  and  Ben  Gulleon  on  the  left  as  you  enter  the 
harbor.  Campbeltown,  the  largest  town  in  the  district,  is 
finely  situated  at  the  end  of  the  Loch.  It  is  a  very  old  town 
dating  back  to  the  sixth  century.  The  historic  names  of  the 
town  are  Ginloch  Kilkerran  (the  head  of  Keirans  Loch), 
Dalruadhain,  Ceann  Loch,  and  lastly  Campbeltown  in  honor 
of  the  Campbell  family.     Campbeltown  was  the  original  seat 


of  the  Scottish  monarchy,  it  being  the  capital  of  Scotland  three 
centuries  before  it  was  located  at  Edinburgh.  There  is  one 
thing  of  which  Campbeltown  is  justly  proud.  It  was  the  home 
of  Mary  Campbell,  the  Highland  Mary  of  the  poet  Robert 
Burns.  Her  father  was  one  of  the  crew  of  a  revenue  cruiser 
which  was  stationed  at  Campbeltown  where  the  family  resided 
for  a  time  in  the  Parliament  close.  Burn's  lament  over  the 
death  of  his  Highland  Mary  and  poem  to  Mary  in  Heaven 
is  one  of  the  most  pathetic  poems  in  literature. 

TO  MARY  IN  HEAVEN 

Thou  lingering  star,  with  lessening  ray, 

That  lov'st  to  greet  the  early  morn, 
Again  thou  usher'st  in  the  day 

My  Mary  from  my  soul  was  torn. 

O  Mary!  dear  departed  shade! 

Where  is  they  place  of  blissful  rest? 
Seest  thou  thy  lover  lowly  laid? 

Hear'st  thou  the  groans  that  rend  his  breast? 

That  sacred  hour  can  I  forget, 

Can  I  forget  the  hallow'd  grove, 
Where  by  the  winding  Ayr  we  met, 
To  live  one  day  of  parting  love? 

Eternity  will  not  efface 
Those  records  dear  of  transports  past; 
Thy  image  at  our  last  embrace; 

Ah!  little  thought  we  'twas  our  last! 

Ayr  gurgling  kiss'd  his  pebbled  shore, 

O'er  hung  with  wild  woods  thickening,  green,  , 

The  fragrant  birch  and  hawthorne  hoar, 
Twined  amorous  round  the  raptured  scene. 


The  flowers  sprank  wanton  to  be  press'd, 

The  birds  sang  love  on  every  spray, 
Till  too,  too  soon  the  glowing  west 

Proclaimed  the  speed  of  wing'd  day. 

Still  o'er  these  scenes  my  memory  wakes, 

And  fondly  broods  with  miser  care! 
Time  but  the  impression  deeper  makes, 

As  streams  their  channels  deeper  wear. 

My  Mary,  dear  departed  shade! 

Where  is  thy  blissful  place  of  rest? 
Seest  thou  thy  lover  lowly  laid? 

Hear' st  thou  the  groans  that  rend  his  breast? 

— Robert  Burns. 

The  mail  service  for  the  district  of  Kintyre  is  by  steamship 
and  auto  bus  via  Tarbert.  About  the  year  1915  the  coach 
that  carried  mail  and  passengers  for  forty  years  between 
Campbeltown  and  Tarbert  was  substituted  by  an  auto  bus. 
Some  one  asked  an  old  Scotchman  what  he  thought  of  the 
auto  bus.  He  shook  his  head  and  said,  "Well — wait  tull  the 
snaw  comes.  We  can  tell  better  then."  Campbeltown  is  well 
supplied  with  schools  and  churches,  some  of  the  finest  in 
Scotland.  Among  many  distinguished  grammar  school  pupils 
of  the  town  was  Dr.  Norman  MacLeod,  the  famous  preacher 
and  author. 

The  public  library  contains  12,000  books,  and  all  the 
principal  newspapers  and  magazines  in  the  reading  room. 
The  principal  industries  of  the  town  are  the  rope  works, 
the  ship  building  yard,  distilleries  and  breweries.  Also,  about 
500  men  are  engaged  in  the  herring  fishing.  Located  within 
the  harbor  is  the  life-saving  station.  The  crew  of  the  life 
boat  have  a  number  of  remarkable  rescues.  From  Campbel- 
town, west  towards  Machrihanish  Bay  is  a  fine  tract  of  level 
country  called  The  Lagan.     It  is  here  that  some  of  the  best 


farms  are  located.  The  west  coast  of  Kintyre  is  said  to  be  the 
roughest  in  Scotland.  There  is  something  grand,  wild,  and 
majestic  in  the  way  the  mighty  waves  of  the  Atlantic  lash 
against  the  rocks.  On  a  calm  day  before  a  storm  the  roar  of 
the  waves  can  be  heard  for  a  long  distance.  Some  people 
claim  to  have  heard  them  fifteen  miles,  others  forty  miles.  "It 
is  like  the  sound  of  many  waters." — St.  John  1:15.  Of  late 
years  the  west  coast  has  become  a  great  summer  resort.  There 
is  a  large  hotel  at  Machrihanish  and  one  of  the  best  golf  links 
in  Scotland.  There  is  a  narrow  gage  railway  which  connects 
with  the  coal  fields  and  also  carries  passengers  in  connection 
with  the  steamboat  line. 

The  district  of  Southend  is  more  hilly  and  in  some 
parts  even  mountainous.  It  is  estimated  that  for  one  acre 
of  arable  land  there  are  six  acres  of  pasture  land.  This 
was  historical  ground  at  the  time  of  the  clan  wars  in  Scot- 
land. The  McDonalds  of  the  Isle  made  their  last  stand 
against  the  Campbells  at  the  fort  at  Dunaverty  Rock  near  the 
village  of  Southend.  The  village  is  located  near  the  sea. 
There  are  two  churches,  one  the  Established  Church,  the  other 
the  U.  F.  Presbyterian,  also  a  good  school.  There  is  a  life- 
saving  station  at  Dunaverty  Rock.  It  was  in  this  district  that 
the  majority  of  the  people  who  came  to  the  colony  made  their 
homes  and  where  they  received  their  education.  There  is  no 
doubt  these  places  were  dear  to  them,  the  home,  the  church,  and 
the  school,  also  the  old  Keil  churchyard  where  their  relatives 
are  buried.  In  the  parish  of  Southend  there  is  a  small  district 
called  Kildavie  in  which  a  colony  of  people  lived  who  kept 
themselves  apart  and  did  not  associate  much  with  the  rest  of 
Kintyre  people.  They  were  Covenanter  followers  of  Ralston 
who,  with  his  people,  fled  from  Renfrewshire  at  the  time  of 
the  persecution  to  find  shelter  in  Argyleshire.  They  were 
Lowlanders  who  spoke  with  a  broad  accent.  The  following 
story  is  told  of  their  manner  of  courtship  and  love-making. 


The  lover  said  to  his  sweetheart,  "Dae-ye-tak-me  Jeanie?" 
She  answered  in  bashful  reply,  "Aye-Some."  "Will  ye  gie 
me  a  kiss,  Jeanie  ?"  was  the  next  query.  Her  answer  was, 
"Nae  a'll  nay  gie-ye  a  kiss — but  ye  can  tak  it  if  ye  lake." 

There  are  three  lighthouses  on  the  south  coast  of  Kintyre 
that  are  worthy  of  mention.  The  Mull  Lighthouse,  which  is 
built  on  the  Mull  Rock  on  the  most  southern  point  of  Kintyre 
being  only  thirty  miles  across  the  North  Channel  to  the  coast  of 
Ireland.  It  was  built  by  Peter  Stuart  of  Campbeltown  in  1  788 
and  was  re-modeled  in  1820  by  Robert  Stevenson  who  was 
engineer  for  the  Northern  Light  Company.  The  light  can  be 
seen  for  a  distance  of  thirty  miles.  The  second  lighthouse  is 
on  the  Island  of  Sanda  erected  in  1850  as  a  protection  to 
vessels  from  Patterson's  Rock,  a  submerged  rock  off  the  south 
coast  of  Kintyre.  It  is  built  in  three  circular  towers  on  the 
side  of  the  Rock.  The  third  lighthouse  was  built  in  1854  on 
Davaar  Island  to  guide  mariners  into  Campbeltown  Harbor. 

This  Island  has  gained  notoriety  within  the  last  thirty  years 
because  of  the  cave  picture.  On  this  Island  is  a  number  of 
caves  and  on  the  wall  of  one  of  the  caves  an  artist  painted  the 
greatest  of  all  human  tragedies,  "The  Crucifixion  of  Christ." 
When  it  was  discovered  by  fishermen  entering  the  cave  for 
protection  from  a  storm  it  caused  a  great  sensation.  It  was 
some  time  before  they  knew  who  the  artist  was.  It  proved  to 
be  Mr.  Archibald  Mackinnon,  a  Campbeltown  man  now 
a  resident  in  Reading,  Pa.,  U.  S.  A.  Thousands  of  visitors 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  have  journeyed  to  Davarr  to  visit 
the  cave  picture  and  read  its  sermon  on  stone. 

In  the  early  days  of  Scottish  history  the  clans  held  the 
power  in  the  highlands.  They  were  of  the  Celtic  race.  There 
are  two  hundred  and  forty  different  clan  tartans  or  plaids 
representing  the  different  clans,  so  we  have  some  idea  what 
the  clan  wars  meant  in  those  early  days.  "The  Fiery  Cross" 
represented  by  the  Ku-Klux-Klan  in  D.  W.  Griffith's  play 


"The  Birth  of  a  Nation"  was  taken  from  the  clans  of  Scot- 
land. When  a  highland  chief  wished  to  gather  the  clans  to- 
gether for  some  great  event  or  battle  he  made  a  cross  of  some 
light  wood,  seared  it  in  fire,  then  extinguished  the  fire  by  dipping 
it  in  the  blood  of  an  animal.  This  was  called  "The  Fiery 
Cross."  This  cross  was  sent  by  messengers  to  the  different 
hamlets  and  villages  for  the  gathering  of  the  clans.  The  high- 
land chiefs  of  the  early  times  were  said  to  be  the  kindest  of 
friends  and  the  fiercest  of  foes.  Many  of  them  were  proud 
and  revengeful  and  quick  to  resent  an  injury.  A  story  is  told 
of  an  old  lady  by  the  name  of  McPherson  who  belonged  to 
the  McPherson  Clan.  She  was  reading  in  her  Bible  where 
Peter  drew  his  sword  and  smote  the  servant  of  the  high  priest 
and  cut  off  his  ear.  She  closed  the  book,  and  said,  "Weal- 
weal-he  wasna'  a  McPherson  or  he  would  ha  taken  the  heid 
off  him."  During  the  clan  wars  in  Scotland  castles  were  built 
in  different  parts  of  the  country.  They  were  used  as  signal 
towers,  strongholds,  or  forts  where  the  chiefs  made  their  homes. 
There  are  two  of  these  castles  in  the  District  of  Kintyre,  viz; 
Skipnis  and  Saddell.  They  are  both  built  in  the  same  archi- 
tectural style.  Skipnis  is  the  largest  being  several  stories  high 
and  the  walls  are  five  or  six  feet  thick.  This  castle  is  located 
at  Skipnis  Point  near  the  sea.  Saddell  Castle  is  built  on  a 
rock  by  the  seaside  on  the  Firth  of  Clyde,  ten  miles  northeast 
of  Campbeltown.  There  are  many  traditional  stories  told 
about  this  castle  and  many  cruel  crimes  committed  there. 

The  farms  in  the  District  of  Kintyre  are  all  named  mostly 
from  the  Gaelic  language  and  it  is  difficult  for  Americans  to 
pronounce,  much  less  spell  them.  The  following  poem  con- 
tains a  number  of  names  of  the  farms. 

FLORY  LOYNACHAN 

(A  most  pathetic  ballad,  the  composition  of  Douglie  Macil- 
reavie  of  Corbett's  Close,  in  the  Balgom  Street,  Campbeltown, 
inscribed   with   affectionate   regards   to   the   members   of   the 


7 

Kintyre  Literary  Association,  is  an  illustration  of  the  common 
conversational  idiom  of  the  dear,  old  town  half  a  century  ago.) 

By  an  Old  Campbeltonian. 

O !  it  buitie  be  an  ogly  thing 
That  mougres  thus  o'er  me, 
For  I  scrabed  at  myself  yestreen, 
And  could  not  Bab  an  e'e, 
My  heart  is  all  to  muilins  munched, 
Bryce,  Smuirach,  daps  and  gum, 
I'm  a  poor  cruichach,  spalyin'  scrae, 
My  thorts  have  struck  me  dumb. 

Dear  Flory  Loynachan,  if  thou 
Through  Saana's  soun'  wert  toss'd, 
And  rouchled  like  a  shougie-shoo, 
In  a  veshal  with  one  mast, 
Though  the  night  were  makan'  for  a  roil, 
Through  ralliach  were  the  sea, 
Through  scorlins  warpled  my  thowl  pins, 
My  shallop  would  reach  thee. 

Thou're  not  a  hochlan  scleurach,  dear, 

As  many  trooshlach  be; 

Nor  I  a  claty  skybal,  thus 

To  sclaffer  after  thee; — 

Yet  haing  the  meischachan,  when  first 

I  felt  love's  mainglin'  smart, 

And  haing  the  boosach  dyvour  too, 

Who  spong'd  from  me  thine  heart! 

O  rhane  a  Yolus  Cromic — quick — 
Across  this  rumpled  brain! 
Bring  hickery-pickery  bring  wallink 
Droshachs,  to  sooth  my  pain! 
Fire  water-fire  a  spoucher  full — 


These  fry  than  stouns  to  stay! 
For  like  a  sparrows  scaldachan 
I'm  gosping  night  and  day ! 

Were  I  the  Laird  of  Achnaglach, 
Or  Kilmanshenachan  fair, 
Crockstaplemore,  Kilwheepnach, 
Foechag,  or  Ballochgair; 
Did  I  inherit  Tuyinroech, 
Drumgarv  or  Ballochantee, 
Creishlach,  or  Coeran  daing  the  bit, 
I'd  fauchat  them  for  thee! 

O,  the  Clabbydhu,  it  loves  the  Trencr . 

The  Crouban,  the  quayneb, 

While  the  Anachan  and  Brollochan, 

They  love  the  Mussle-ebb. 

The  Muirachbaan  the  Dorling  loves, 

And  the  Gleshan,  and  Guildee, 

They  love  to  plouder  through  the  loch; 

But,  Flory,  I  love  thee! 

It  was  here  in  the  District  of  Kintyre  that  Christianity  first 
took  root  in  the  western  highlands  of  Scotland.  St.  Columba, 
who  came  across  the  channel  from  Ireland,  landed  at  Keil 
where  he  built  a  church  and  preached  the  gospel.  The  walls 
of  the  church  stand  to-day  in  the  old  Keil  churchyard.  Foot- 
prints are  cut  out  on  the  rock  to  mark  the  spot  where  St. 
Columba  landed  at  Keil  near  the  village  of  Southend. 

Going  back  in  history  to  the  year  1666,  a  great  plague 
broke  out  in  the  city  of  London,  which  they  called  the  Black 
Plague.  It  was  infectious  and  great  numbers  died.  It  spread 
through  England  and  parts  of  Scotland,  especially  to  Argyle- 
shire,  and  almost  depopulated  the  peninsula  of  Kintyre.  Old 
people  spoke  of  it  coming  in  a  white  cloud  and  hovering  over 
the  district.      Whether  this  was  a  superstition  or  not  is  not 


9 

known.  Under  these  conditions  the  Marquis  of  Argyle  en- 
couraged people  from  Renfrewshire,  Ayrshire  and  Gallway 
to  come  and  settle  on  the  vacant  farms.  These  were  the 
Covenanters  of  Scotland.  The  Marquis  of  Argyle,  being  a 
Covenanter  himself,  gave  them  every  opportunity  in  his  power. 
The  pioneers  of  the  Argyle  Settlement  were  the  direct  de- 
scendants of  the  Covenanters.  Some  may  boast  of  royalty, 
others  can  trace  their  ancestors  back  to  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  at 
Plymouth  Rock,  but  to  be  in  the  line  of  the  Covenanters  is  as 
great  an  honor.  Men  and  women,  many  of  whom  gave  their 
lives  for  the  cause  of  the  truth.  "Being  destitute,  afflicted,  tor- 
mented, of  whom  this  world  was  not  worthy,  they  wandered 
in  deserts  and  in  mountains  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth." 
In  Gray  Frier's  Churchyard  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  is  a  tomb 
known  as  the  tomb  of  the  Martyrs  where  those  who  were 
executed  at  the  grass  market  near  Edinburgh  Castle  were 
buried.  It  is  one  of  the  historical  sights  of  old  Edinburgh.  At 
the  Antiquarian  Museum,  in  Edinburgh,  are  a  number  of 
relics  of  the  Covenanter  Days.  Among  them  are  John  Knox's 
pulpit,  Jenny  Giddies'  stool,  and  the  old  flags  of  the  Coven- 
anters. After  the  settlement  of  Kintyre  by  the  Covenanters, 
the  population  increased  up  to  the  year  of  1830.  The  popu- 
lation of  Southend  alone,  a  district  of  country  not  any  larger 
than  the  Argyle  Settlement,  was  over  two  thousand. 


10 

Chapter  II. 
The  Pioneers. 
THE  SCOTTISH  EMIGRANTS  FAREWELL 

Farweel,  a  lang,  a  last  farweel, 

Auld  Scotland,  unto  thee; 

The  coming  night  cloud  soon  will  hide 

Thy  dark  green  hills  frae  me. 

The  breeze  blaws  freshly  frae  the  shore, 

The  barque  bounds  o'er  the  wave, 

I  go  to  seek  a  distant  hame, 

Tae  fill  a  distant  grave. 

Lang,  lang  I  strove  wi'  adverse  fate, 

Lang,  land  I  strove  in  vain 

'Tis  stern  necessity  that  cous's 

Me  cross  the  briny  main. 

But  gentle  hopes  still  cheer  my  heart 

Wi'  prospects  bright  and  gay, 

And  independence  sends  me  forth, 

And  seems  to  lead  my  way. 

Then  fare  thee  well,  my  native  land, 

Now  faded  in  the  night, 

Thy  dark  green  hills  have  passed  away 

For  ever  from  my  sight. 

But  death's  dark  night  shall  fall  on  me, 

And  memory  frae  me  part, 

Before  the  thoughts  of  thee  or  thine 

Can  ever  leave  my  heart. 
Do  not  think  that  the  Pioneers  of  the  Argyle  Settlement 
emigrated  because  they  did  not  love  their  native  land  where 
in  their  youth  they  climbed  the  hills  and  roamed  through  the 
glens  of  Bonnie  Scotland.  There  were  ties  of  kindred  that 
bound  them  together.  Among  the  young  people  there  were 
school  mates  and  companions,  among  the  older  people  there 
were  church  ties  where  they  met  to  worship  God  in  the  old 


11 

Southend  Church  and  the  Long  Row  Church  in  Campbeltown. 
It  was  sad,  the  parting  of  friends  and  relatives  who  never  ex- 
pected to  see  each  other  again. 

There  was  a  combination  of  circumstances  that  led  to  the 
emigration  of  these  Pioneers.  First,  a  number  of  small  farms 
were  put  together  by  the  Duke  to  make  larger  farms  that 
deprived  a  number  of  farmers  of  a  place.  Again,  there  were 
a  series  of  poor  crops,  dull  markets,  and  low  prices,  making 
it  difficult  for  the  tenants  to  pay  their  rents.  It  was  not  always 
the  landlord's  fault.  It  was  often  the  fault  of  the  factor  or 
agent  for  the  Duke  of  Argyle.  John  Stewart,  the  factor, 
showed  no  leniency  to  the  poor  tenants.  It  was  said  he 
oppressed  them  shamefully  by  taking  away  the  little  they  had. 
At  that  time  in  Scotland  there  was  a  debtors  room  in  connec- 
tion with  the  prisons  where  debtors  could  be  confined  for  a 
time.     That  law  has  been  done  away  with  long  ago. 

These  Pioneers  saw  little  prospect  for  their  growing 
families  to  remain  in  Scotland  and  rather  than  have  family  ties 
sundered  they  were  willing  to  emigrate  with  them  to  a  new 
country.  These  emigrants  were  men  and  women  of  strong 
constitution,  brave  hearts,  and  willing  hands  with  strong  re- 
ligious convictions  of  right  toward  God  and  man.  They  were 
willing  to  part  with  friends  and  companions  and  the  churches 
to  which  they  belonged  that  through  toil  and  hardship  they 
might  gain  for  themselves  homes  of  their  own. 

That  we  may  better  understand  the  kind  of  pioneers  these 
people  made,  we  might  note  some  of  their  characteristics. 
Some  years  ago  Dr.  Gray,  a  Scotchman,  in  an  article  in  the 
"Chicago  Interior"  gave  a  definition  of  the  Scotchman  as 
"The  man  who  kept  the  Sabbath  Day  and  everything  else  he 
could  get  his  hands  on."  There  are  some  exceptions  to  all 
rules  in  regard  to  keeping  or  holding  as  some  of  the  most  public 
spirited  men  in  the  world  have  been  Scotchmen.  As  a  race 
they  are  thrifty  but  not  stingy  in  a  good  cause.     Many  of  them 


12 

possess  a  sturdy  independence  and  have  a  mind  of  their  own 
not  willing  that  others  should  think  for  them  or  dictate  to  them. 
A  youth  who  was  asked  why  he  went  to  a  debating  society 
answered,  "Oh,  jest  to  contradict  a  wee."  Another  quality 
is  that  they  are  in  earnest.  When  in  the  right  they  are  per- 
sistent almost  to  dogged  stubbornness;  we  call  dourness.  If 
some  great  principal  is  at  stake  they  would  die  before  they 
would  change  their  convictions.  That  was  a  wise  prayer 
which  the  Scotchman  was  said  to  have  offered  on  one  occasion. 
"Lord,  grant  that  we  may  be  in  the  right  for  thou  knowest 
that  we  are  very  decided/'  It  is  well  that  with  this  rugged 
granite  firmness  is  combined  a  measure  of  caution  or  in  other 
words  "being  canny."  Add  to  this  a  quaint  humor  or  slyness 
and  where  there  is  need  can  be  stinging  and  sarcastic.  If  a 
Scotchman  sees  something  that  he  does  not  understand  he  will 
not  show  ignorance  by  asking  foolish  questions  but  will  wait 
and  find  out  some  other  way.  Someone  has  said  that  it  takes 
a  surgical  operation  to  get  a  joke  through  a  Scotchman's  head 
and  that  he  cannot  see  it  until  the  next  day  and  that  they  have 
no  sense  of  humor.  Do  not  be  deceived  as  he  would  not  give 
you  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  whether  he  saw  the  point  or 
not.  They  are  reserved  in  regard  to  sacred  things,  especially 
of  spiritual  matters  and  often  feel  a  great  deal  more  than  they 
say.  On  one  occasion  a  revival  minister  was  holding  an  ex- 
perience meeting  when  he  asked  an  old  Scotchman  if  he  had 
any  religion.  His  answer  was,  "I  hav'na  ony  ta  blaw  aboot." 
Who  can  analyze  or  describe  the  Scottish  character?  Charles 
Reade,  the  author,  said  that  the  Scotch  are  icebergs  with  vol- 
canoes underneath ;  thaw  the  Scotch  ice  which  is  very  cold  and 
you  shall  get  to  the  Scottish  fire,  warmer  than  any  sun  of  Italy 
or  Spain. 

As  far  as  we  are  able  to  learn,  the  first  to  leave  Kintyre  for 
Illinois  were  the  Armour  boys,  John  and  George,  brothers,  and 
their  cousin,  James  Armour,  who  came  in  the  year  1834  and 


«^J  G**  0>  **  <*»  **  "" 

1ft- o 


13 

located  at  Ottawa.  These  young  men  were  not  farmers;  they 
were  tradesmen  or  mechanics.  At  this  time  Illinois  was  the 
farthest  western  state  in  the  Union.  Wisconsin  was  a  territory 
and  Iowa  was  the  wild  west.  It  was  said  that  when  Illinois 
was  surveyed  by  the  government  that  there  was  a  ten  mile  strip 
of  land  across  the  north  end  of  the  state  that  was  a  question 
whether  it  would  go  to  Wisconsin  or  Illinois.  It  was  left  to  a 
vote  of  the  settlers.  Some  of  the  pioneers  thought  that  if  they 
voted  it  to  Wisconsn  they  could  not  raise  corn  so  they  voted  it 
to  Illinois.  The  state  line  between  Wisconsin  and  Illinois  is 
not  very  definite  even  at  the  present. 

The  circumstances  which  led  to  the  locating  of  the  Argyle 
Settlement  are  as  follows:  James  Armour,  who  was  a  shoe- 
maker and  worked  at  his  trade  at  Ottawa,  came  north  with 
other  gentlemen  prospecting  for  land.  He  took  up  a  claim  to 
some  prairie  timber  lands  located  on  Willow  Creek  on  the 
county  line  between  Boone  and  Winnebago  counties,  after- 
wards known  as  the  Scotch  Grove.  It  is  now  owned  by  the 
Wm.  A.  Ralston  Est.,  J.  A.  Picken  Est.,  and  Thomas  An- 
drew Est.  After  a  time  James  Armour  gave  up  his  claim  to 
his  cousins,  John  and  George  Armour.  In  order  to  hold  the 
claim  the  government  made  it  necessary  for  them  to  build  a 
house  and  live  on  the  land  for  a  certain  length  of  time.  They 
came  to  the  claim  and  built  a  log  cabin  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Scotch  Grove.  This  cabin  was  14x14  feet  square.  It  was 
said  that  they  were  mowing  hay  on  the  claim  one  very  hot  day 
when  George  hung  his  scythe  on  a  tree  and  said  to  his  brother 
John  that  he  thought  he  could  make  a  living  easier  than  that. 
John  said  to  him,  "Your  scythe  is  not  hung  right."  He  meant 
that  the  blade  was  not  rightly  adjusted  to  the  handle.  George 
pointed  to  the  tree  and  said,  "I  think  the  scythe  is  hung  right 
now."  They  left  the  claim  and  went  back  to  Ottawa  and 
from  there  went  to  Scotland  on  a  visit.  They  had  no  thought 
at  that  time  of  being  the  forerunners  of  a  colony  of  Kintyre 


14 

people  in  northern  Illnois.  On  their  return  to  Scotland  they 
found  the  farmers  in  Kintyre  in  a  serious  condition.  Like 
Caleb  and  Joshua  of  old,  they  reported  a  goodly  land  in 
America  and  the  opportunity  that  the  government  gave  to 
settlers  to  obtained  homes  of  their  own.  John  and  George 
Armour  did  not  remain  long  in  Scotland.  They  had  caught 
the  western  fever  of  adventure  and  returned  to  Ottawa. 

Before  going  further  with  the  history  of  the  Pioneers  it 
might  be  interesting  to  give  a  short  sketch  of  George  Armour. 
He  was  a  wheel-wright  and  worked  his  way  across  the  ocean 
as  a  cooper  or  ship  carpenter.  On  his  return  to  America  he 
got  his  start  in  life  by  taking  contracts  on  the  Illinois  and  Michi- 
gan Canal  work  and  on  grading  railroads.  Later  he  took  in  a 
partner  and  owned  and  operated  a  number  of  grain  elevators 
in  Chicago  and  Ottawa.  The  name  of  the  firm  was  "Armour 
and  Doal"  and  later,  "Armour  and  Munger."  He  became 
a  millionaire,  one  of  the  merchant  princes  of  America.  Al- 
though he  became  so  wealthy,  he  did  not  forget  his  native  town 
and  visited  it  often.  He  presented  the  town  of  Campbeltown 
with  a  red  granite  drinking  fountain  which  stands  today  at  the 
head  of  the  quay,  a  useful  monument  to  his  memory.  He  con- 
tributed $500  to  the  building  fund  of  the  present  Willow 
Creek  church.  He  died  at  Brighton,  England,  a  watering 
place  twenty  miles  from  London.  Mrs.  Armour  died  on  their 
son's  yacht  in  Cuban  waters.  Alison  V.  Armour,  their  son, 
became  an  artist  and  lived  in  Rome,  Italy,  being  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  art  school  at  Rome. 


15 

Chapter  III 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Greenlee,  Pioneers  and  founders  of 
the  Argyle  Settlement 

John  Greenlee  was  born  August  16,  1791,  at  Southend, 
Argyleshire,  Scotland,  and  died  at  Belvidere,  Boone  County, 
Illinois,  U.  S.  A.,  December  30,  1882.  He  is  of  an  ancient 
family  and  can  be  traced  back  to  the  time  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth. The  Scotch  branch  was  located  in  the  parish  of  Loch- 
rannoch,  Renfrewshire,  Scotland.  He  was  married  at  South- 
end about  1820  to  Helen  Brown.  Her  father  was  Charles 
Brown  and  her  mother,  Elizabeth  Ralston.  Mrs.  Greenlee 
died  March  1 8,  1 865  at  Argyle,  Winnebago  County,  Illinois. 
The  story  of  John  Greenlee  leaving  Scotland  was  told  by  the 
Pioneers  to  their  children  at  the  fireside  in  the  early  days,  but 
it  was  not  published  except  in  a  poem  by  the  Reverend  James 
Breckenridge,  late  minister  of  Streetsville,  Canada.  His  book 
of  poems  was  published  in  Toronto  in  the  year  1 860  but  was 
written  at  an  earlier  date.  John  Greenlee  had  leased  the  farm 
five  miles  north  of  Campbeltown,  known  to-day  as  the  Park 
Farm.  Through  a  series  of  crop  failures  he  was  unable  to 
pay  his  rent  in  full.  The  Duke  of  Argyle's  Chamberlain, 
factor  or  agent,  showed  no  mercy  and  levied  on  his  stock  and 
farm  implements  which  were  sold  at  auction.  The  amount 
of  the  sale  was  sufficient  to  pay  the  balance  of  the  rent  due 
but  the  factor  was  not  satisfied.  He  wanted  Mr.  Greenlee  to 
pay  for  the  upkeep  of  the  buildings  and  fences.  This  he  could 
not  do.  The  factor,  John  Stewart,  got  up  a  great  report  that 
John  Greenlee  had  sown  his  fields  with  shelling  seeds  being  the 
refuse  from  the  meal.  The  farmers  who  knew  John  Greenlee 
and  the  farm  said  it  was  the  greatest  lie  the  factor  ever  told. 

The  Armours,  who  were  nephews  of  Mr.  Greenlee,  had  lo- 
cated at  Ottawa,  Illinois,  before  this  time  and  had  sent  him 
word  to  come  to  America  and  had  provided  for  the  journey. 
It  was  the  custom  in  Scotland  for  tradesmen  to  go  to  the  farm 


16 

house  and  make  shoes  or  clothes  for  the  family.  Two  trades- 
men were  employed  at  the  Park  Farm  getting  the  Greenlee 
family  ready  for  their  journey,  the  shoemaker  being  his 
brother-in-law,  James  Armour,  father  of  the  Armours  who 
were  at  Ottawa.  We  can  picture  the  household  leaving  the 
home  in  the  evening  coming  to  the  main  road  at  Pineiver  five 
miles  east  of  Campbeltown,  then  ten  miles  to  Carradale  where 
they  would  board  the  Campbeltown  boat  where  they  were  to 
ship  from  Liverpool  for  New  York.  At  Liverpool  they  were 
met  by  Hugh  Gould,  land  Stewart  to  the  Duke  of  Argyle, 
who  took  Mr.  Greenlee  back  to  Campbeltown.  John  Green- 
lee bade  his  wife  and  family  to  go  on.  He  knew  that  their 
friends  and  others  in  America  would  take  care  of  them.  Was 
not  this  a  trying  situation  for  them  all,  the  family  to  proceed  to 
a  foreign  land  and  the  father  taken  back  to  be  imprisoned  in 
Campbeltown? 

Mr.  Greenlee  did  not  lose  heart.  Accounts  differ  as 
to  his  getting  free.  One  account  was  that  when  he  and 
his  guard  returned  to  Campbeltown  they  were  too  soon 
for  the  opening  of  the  public  buildings  and  they  had  a  room  at 
the  White  Heart  Hotel,  corner  of  Main  and  Argyle  Streets. 
Some  claim  that  it  was  from  the  debtor's  room  he  came  out  in 
the  same  way.  A  servant  asked  Mr.  Greenlee  if  he  would 
like  to  make  his  escape  and  he  was  told  of  an  out  building 
that  had  two  doors.  He  asked  to  go  and  was  allowed  by  the 
guard.  He  passed  through  another  door  from  the  court  or 
coach  yard.  He  then  reached  a  friend's  house  where  he  stayed 
until  darkness  came,  and  getting  the  use  of  a  ladies'  long  cloak 
and  hood  he  and  his  friend  ventured  out.  They  had  not  gone 
far  when  they  were  met  by  one  of  their  pursuers  who  did  not 
recognize  Mr.  Greenlee.  His  friend  exchanged  greetings  and 
they  passed  on.  They  got  clear  of  town  and  went  to  South- 
end to  his  brother-in-law's,  John  Ralston  (Elder),  on  the 
farm  of  Acharuah  and  remained  there  for  a  few  days.     Dur- 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Creenlee 


17 

ing  this  time  the  factor  called  out  the  farmers  to  search  for  Mr. 
Greenlee,  John  Thompson,  who  was  father  of  Robert  and 
John  and  grandfather  of  John  W.  Thompson  of  Caledonia, 
with  a  helper,  thought  to  be  Mr.  McEachran,  taking  a  row  boat 
they  ferried  Mr.  Greenlee  across  from  Dunaverty  Rock  on  the 
southern  part  of  Kintyre  to  the  coast  of  Ireland,  a  distance  of 
thirty  miles.  The  revenue  boat  was  in  pursuit.  It  appears 
here  that  Providence  intervened  in  their  behalf  for  there  arose 
a  dense  fog  and  their  pursuers  lost  sight  of  them.  It  is  un- 
certain whether  he  landed  in  Ireland  or  boarded  in  the  channel 
a  large  sailing  vessel  bound  for  New  York.  After  four  weeks 
on  the  ocean  he  landed  in  New  York  and  was  waiting  to  wel- 
come his  family.  We  have  followed  John  Greenlee's  journey 
from  the  Park  Farm  five  miles  north  of  Campbeltown,  Argyle- 
shire,  Scotland,  to  New  York.  Let  us  return  to  his  wife  and 
family. 

They  sailed  from  Liverpool  as  had  been  arranged.  Mrs. 
Greenlee  was  in  a  distressed  state  of  mind  and  on  nearing 
New  York  she  was  crying  saying  "what  was  she  and  her  young 
family  to  do  on  reaching  a  foreign  land  and  her  husband  a 
prisoner  in  Campbeltown."  Her  daughter  came  to  comfort 
her  and  having  clear  vision  she  saw  her  father  standing  on  the 
pier.  She  said,  "Cheer  up,  Mother!  Who  is  that  on  the 
pier!  It  is  Father!**  We  can  imagine  the  happy  reunion  of 
father  and  mother  and  children.  From  New  York  they  went 
to  Buffalo  remaining  there  with  friends  for  a  time  before  com- 
ing to  Chicago  where  they  arrived  in  the  early  autumn  of  1 836. 
From  there  they  went  by  wagon  to  Ottawa,  Illinois,  their 
destination.  The  following  poem,  written  by  Reverend  James 
Breckenridge,  late  minister  of  Streetsville,  Canada,  was  pub- 
lished in  1 860  at  Toronto  will  further  explain  the  situation. 
JOHN  GREENLEES,  THE  PIONEER 

1836 
of  the  Kintyre  Settlement,  Illinois,  U.  S.  A. 


18 

Lines  written  by  a  friend  (J.  B.) 
It  was  in  a  delightful  spot, 
Of  Caledonia's  far-famed  Isle; 
That  once  had  been  my  humble  lot, 
To  plough  the  land,  and  till  the  soil. 
At  twenty-four — I  mind  it  well, 
Possessed  of  every  youthful  charm ; 
My  father  bade  this  earth  farewell, 
And  I  succeeded  to  his  farm. 
So  then  to  farming  I  inclined 
And  farming  was  my  native  bent; 
No  ill  forebodings  filled  my  mind, — 
I  had  no  care,  but  pay  the  rent. 
Both  late  and  early  at  my  work, 
Bound,  if  I  could,  to  make  it  pay; 
I  oft  was  up  before  the  lark, 
And  long  before  the  break  of  day. 
And  when  the  sun  sunk  in  the  west; 
And  brought  my  labours  to  a  close; 
Exhausted  nature  needed  rest, 
And  then  how  sweet  was  calm  repose! 
My  youth  and  vigor  thus  were  spent, 
An  honest  livelihood  to  gain; 
The  care  and  toil  I  underwent, 
I  little  dreamed  were  all  in  vain. 
From  day  to  day,  from  year  to  year, 
I  struggled  on  to  pay  the  rent; 
But  still  more  hard  it  did  appear, 
The  more  anxiety  I  spent. 
Cold,  wet  and  dreary  summers  came, 
My  crops  were  small  and  poor  in  kind; 
Low  prices  too;  was  I  to  blame, 
If  I  should  fall  somewhat  behind? 
Our  landlord  was  a  man — in  fact, 


19 

Just  like  most  others  of  his  kind ; 

The  rigid  sum  he  would  extract, 

And  oust  you  if  you  fell  behind. 

Not  that  I  mean  to  charge  his  Grace, 

With  all  my  troubles  and  my  cares; 

For  he  knew  nothing  of  my  case — 

His  factor  managed  his  affairs. 

And  he  like  other  little  men, 

Who  will  their  own  importance  know ; 

Was  so  delighted,  now  and  then, 

His  great  authority  to  show. 

All  knew  him  haughty  and  severe, 

No  one  his  clemecy  besought; 

In  his  dread  presence  to  appear, 

Has  cost  me  many  anxious  thought. 

For  when  that  dreaded  day  would  come 

On  which  we  used  the  rent  to  pay 

How  he  would  wrench  the  stated  sum 

And  would  admit  of  small  delay! 

Yea,  sometime,  yet  I  think  I  see, 

The  haughty  and  contemptous  frown; 

How  he  could  scorn  the  like  or  me, 

As  a  poor  low-lifed  rustic  clown. 

And  we,  poor  tenants  at  his  bar 

'Would  stand  appalled  our  fate  to  know! 

As  if  his  breath  could  send  us  far, 

Into  the  pit  of  endless  woe ! 

Who  dared  to  act  a  manly  part? 

Meet  scorn  with  scorn,  and  pride  with  pride? 

Alas!  each  manly,  noble  heart, 

That  scorned  to  creep,  had  crossed  the  tide. 

And  such  the  case  will  always  be, 

Till  freedom  breaks  the  clanking  chain; 

The  mind  unfettered  then  and  free, 


20 

Its  independence  will  gain. 
It  will  not  stoop  then  to  adore, 
A  man  for  wealth  or  lofty  birth; 
Undoubtedly  will  value  more, 
A  man  for  real  moral  worth. 
But  to  return — with  anxious  care, 
From  year  to  year,  I  struggled  on; 
But  naught  was  for  me  but  despair, 
For  every  ray  of  hope  was  gone. 
No  sooner  did  my  master  know 
That  my  affairs  became  so  bad ; 
Than  he  like  a  relentless  foe, 
Sequestered  every  thing  I  had. 
And  soon  it  publicly  was  told 
That  I  insovent  had  become, 
And  all  I  had  was  to  be  sold, 
To  pay  up  the  indebted  sum. 
But  one  thing — though  I  had  been  poor 
My  stock  had  always  been  complete 
And  that  I  always  hoped  as  sure, 
The  just  demands  of  debt  to  meet. 
The  day  of  public  sale  arrived ; 
And  I  dejected  and  depressed 
Behold  myself  of  all  deprived, 
That  ever  I  had  once  possessed. 
When  ascertaining  the  amount 
Of  what  my  whole  effects  came  to, 
I  found  when  squared  with  my  account 
It  covered  more  than  what  was  due. 
Just  at  this  juncture,  I  would  say, 
Let  all  this  simple  lesson  read: — 
When  man  becomes  the  spoiler's  prey, 
No  limits  can  be  set  on  greed. 
For  he  was  not  content  to  claim, 


21 

What  I  had  owed  him  of  the  rent; 
While  one  bare  farthing  did  remain, 
He  swore  he  would  not  be  content. 
My  house  he  did  examine  well; 
And  when  he  spied  out  a  defect 
His  wits  were  set  at  work  to  tell 
If  it  was  caused  by  my  neglect. 
And  hedges,  ditches,  fences  too, 
That  long  had  fallen  to  decay; 
For  what  would  almost  make  the  new, 
I  every  farthing  had  to  pay. 
Law  for  each  action  he  might  show, 
And  screen  himself  that  fair  plea; 

But  thus  to  skin  a  mortal  so, 
Could  never,  never,  justice  be. 
This  cast  upon  the  world  wide 
Of  every  earthly  stay  bereft; 
And  for  dependents  to  provide, 
Without  a  single  fraction  left. 
But  though  reduced  to  that  extreme, 
Did  that  my  happiness  destroy? 
Ah,  no  there  is  a  sacred  stream, 
Of  never  failing  heart-felt  joy. 
It  gave  me  pleasure  to  reflect: — 
— Though  want  did  stare  me  in  the  face — 
No  sloth — no  criminal  neglect 
On  my  part  brought  me  to  disgrace. 
And  this  in  conscious  innocence, 
How  cheerfully  I  could  submit 
To  what  an  all  wise  Providence 
For  my  disposal  had  seen  fit. 
I  fancied  after  proper  thought — 
Two  schemes  presented  to  my  view ; 
And  to  a  sad  dilemma  thought, 


22 

The  one  or  other  had  to  do. 

To  earn  my  bread  by  servile  toil 

By  patient  and  industrious  hand 

Or  leave  my  native  lovely  isl 

And  venture  to  a  foreign  land 

The  former  I  was  loth  to  do , 

If  I  could  find  a  better  way; 

The  latter  had  its  dangers  too 

And  what  had  I  the  cost  to  pay  ? 

I  had  relations  then  who  trod, 

America's  far  distant  west; 

And  when  my  hopes  were  turned  abroad 

To  them  a  letter  I  addressed. 

And  unto  them  though  far  away, 

I  humbly  stated  all  my  case ; 

Harassed  with  rent,  unfit  to  pay, 

I  humbly  asked  their  advice. 

It  happened  well !  just  on  those  days, 

A  letter  I  from  them  received, 

Which  gave  to  Canada  great  praise 

Though  little  of  it  I  believed. 

And  more  than  that,  the  money  sent, 

Enough  my  passage  out  to  pay; 

And  bade  me  take  the  money  lent, 

And  cross  the  sea  without  delay. 

My  object  was  plain  to  all — 

To  honest  friend  and  ruthless  foe: 

Through  hardship,  and  danger  great  or  small 

I  firmly  was  resolved  to  go. 

But  ah !  how  did  the  thoughts  create, 

A  feeling  of  sincere  regret 

Alas !  thought  I  hard  is  my  gate 

And  sad  the  tear  it  does  beget. 

Acquaintances  I've  here  secured, 


23 

Whose  love  is  twined  around  my  heart 

Whose  friendship  has  from  youth  endured 

And  must  we  now  forever  part? 

O,  Scotland!  must  I  now  forsake 

Thy  lovely  vales  and  towering  hills; 

Thy  shady  grove,  thy  silvery  lakes, 

Thy  naked  rocks  and  flowing  rills? 

To  leave  old  Caledonia's  strand, 

To  bid  adieu  to  Scotia's  shore ; 

The  beauties  of  my  native  land, 

Most  likely  to  behold  no  more ! 

Far  in  the  regions  of  the  West, 

To  tread  an  unfrequented  wild; 

Perhaps  by  social  joys  unblessed 

For  human  intercourse  exiled. 

By  day  and  night  pursue  my  way 

By  weary,  anxious  toil ;  and  then 

To  dwell  with  howling  beasts  of  prey 

And  what  is  worse  with  savage  men. 

To  toil  beneath  a  scorching  sun, 

To  shrink  before  a  wintry  blast; 

And  when  life's  latest  sands  have  run, 

There  lay  my  weary  bones  at  last. 

Such  were  the  notions  I  had 

Such  were  the  thoughts  that  filled  my  mind 

No  wonder  then,  my  heart  was  sad 

To  leave  my  native  land  behind. 

The  time  arrived — I  stepped  on  board, 

A  large  and  splendid  sailing  ship ; 

And  the  Almighty's  care  implored 

We  launched  upon  the  stormy  deep. 

Four  weeks  had  quietly  glided  by; 

One  morning  as  I  lay  in  bed, 

I  was  awakened  by  the  cry, 


24 

"Awake!  awake!  there's  land  ahead." 

I  hastened  up  to  get  a  sight, 

Of  that  great  land  I  journeyed  to ; 

The  morning  was  serene  and  bright 

And  nothing  to  obscure  my  view. 

Far  as  the  vision  of  my  eye 

A  pleasing  prospect  could  sustain 

Wide  stretched  along  the  verging  sky — 

All  seemed  one  vast  extended  plain. 

A  sylvan  scene  fair  to  the  eye, 

Leaves  gently  quivering  in  the  breeze; 

While  here  and  there  I  could  descry, 

White  houses  peeping  through  the  trees. 

Before  me,  smoke  I  saw  arise, 

Up  curling  in  high  career ; 

And  spires  unnumbered  pierced  the  skies- 

Without  a  cloud,  so  bright  and  clear. 

But  to  describe  the  lovely  scene, 

How  impotent  is  all  my  skill ! 

Though  many  years  now  intervene, 

I  see  it  plain  before  me  still. 

Doubtless  the  pleasure  it  inspired, 

Could  partly  to  this  cause  be  traced — 

That  any  scene  may  be  admired, 

Compared  with  the  wide  oceans  waste. 

And  this  will  just  explain  as  well, 

Why  pleasures  never  felt  before ; 

Is  felt  by  those,  who  then  inhale, 

The  balmy  odours  from  the  shore. 

"Is  this  the  land  at  last?"  I  cried, 

Which  Fancy  pictured  out  so  wild 

My  ill  forebodings  all  had  fled, 

And  I  at  once  was  reconciled. 

The  dangers  of  the  sea  were  o'er, 


25 

When  anchored  safe  in  New  York  bay; 

And  glad  to  safely  reach  the  shore, 

And  further  still  pursue  my  way. 

O'er  rivers,  forests,  lakes  and  plains, 

My  route  I  carefully  did  trace; 

Till  after  all  my  toils,  and  pains, 

I  safely  reached  my  destined  place. 

Each  varied  incident  since  then, 

Is  not  my  object  to  unfold ; 

Each  honest  man  can  well  attain, 

The  same  position  I  now  hold. 

I  laboured  hard  at  first  a  while, 

And  by  that  means  myself  sustained 

And  through  some  years  of  patient  toil 

An  independence  I  have  gained. 

Though  once  if  I  the  rent  coul  dpay, 

I  thought  my  prospects  fair  and  bright; 

I  have  now  a  farm  which  I  can  say, 

It  is  my  own  indisputed  right. 

To  cultivate  it  as  I  please, 

To  work  it  just  as  I  think  fit; 

To  raise  a  crop  of  corn  or  peas, 

Of  oats,  of  barley  or  of  wheat. 

No  longer  to  be  dispossessed, 

At  a  capricious  tyrant's  will; 

Obsequious  wait  his  high  behest, 

Or  his  revengeful  ire  to  feel. 

I  pass  not  sleepless  nights  of  woe, 

Permeditating  on  my  fate; 

I  covet  no  man's  lot  below — 

I  envy  not  the  rich  or  great. 

Hive  not  for  ambition's  sake; 

Vain  are  the  hopes  she  does  inspire ; 

An  honest  living  I  can  make, 


26 

And  that  is  all  that  I  desire. 

My  children  are  not  now  compelled 

To  wander  on  a  foreign  shore; 

And  I  myself  in  bondage  held, 

To  meet  with  them  again  no  more. 

What  it  gives  a  parent's  heart, 

To  see  his  offspring  place  around! 

What  pleasure  from  that  source  apart, 

Can  in  this  callous  world  be  found. 

My  vague  ideas  of  this  land, 

Were  all  unfounded  and  untrue; 

The  comforts  of  my  fatherland, 

I  can  enjoy  in  this  place  too. 

Of  social  pleasures  we  can  taste, 

Which  unto  many  are  denied, 

By  every  fond  endearment  blend 

Unmissed  by  ostentatious  pride. 

I  rarely  hear  a  savage  howl, 

That  would  produce  the  slightest  fear ; 

Naught  but  the  solitary  owl, 

In  the  midnight  silence  I  can  hear. 

And  as  for  savage  men,  there's  none, 

That  by  that  name  I'm  free  to  call, 

Save  some  stray  Indian  with  his  gun 

And  he  is  harmless  unto  all. 

Surrounded  by  the  lonely  wood, 

I  offer  up  my  fervent  prayer ; 

Here  I  can  humbly  worship  God 

Free  from  distracting  worldly  care. 

Some  discontented  here  I  see; 

No  state  is  wholly  free  from  cares; 

Methinks  they  would  contented  be 

If  my  experience  had  been  theirs. 

There  is  one  thought  that  gives  one  pain, 


A      J  T  27 

And  it  is  one  1  may  express — 
How  many  honest  men  remain, 
In  Scotland  still,  in  dire  distress. 
Industrious,  careful,  hard  wrought  men 
Who  toil,  and  strive  with  ceaseless  care 
To  earn  their  scanty  bread;  and  then 
Contempt  and  cruel  scorn  to  bear. 
Their  strength  and  vigour  they  engage, 
To  feed  some  worthless  lordling's  pride; 
And  then  perhaps  in  helpless  age 
Be  cast  adrift  on  life's  rough  tide. 
O,  Scotland!  when  wilt  thou  be  found 
To  slack  thy  overbearing  reins? 
The  prowess  of  thy  sons  is  bound, 
By  the  most  cruel,  servile  chains. 
Thy  sturdy  sons  from  thee  are  torn 
Who  might  have  been  thy  flower  and  pride 
Far  o'er  the  raging  billows  borne 
To  earn  that  bread  thou  hast  denied. 
And  welcome  to  our  western  clime, 
Their  native  vigour  to  put  forth ; 
And  may  the  testing  march  of  time, 
Annex  a  tribute  to  their  worth. 
Such  men  indeed  are  just  the  stuff, 
Our  heavy  timbered  lands  to  clear; 
There's  room  enough  and  land  enough 
And  peace,  and  joy  and  plenty  here. 
For  my  own  part,  I  bless  the  day — 
Yea  I  have  reason  to  rejoice 
That  when  I  crossed  the  stormy  sea 
And  did  make  Belvidere  my  choice. 
Here — till  this  transient  life  shall  end; 
Here — till  its  toils  and  turmoils  cease; 
Here — may  it  be  my  lot  to  spend, 
My  few  remaining  days  in  peace! 


28 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  indictment  in  the  Sheriff's 
Court  in  Campbeltown,  Argyllshire,  Scotland,  taken  from  the 
public  records.  It  is  recorded  here  for  the  purpose  of  show- 
ing the  conditions  and  laws  that  existed  in  Scotland  in  1834, 
in  regard  to  landlords  and  tenants. 

At  Campbeltown  4th  day  of  December,  1836.  Sitting  in 
judgment  Dugald  MacTavish  substitute  of  the  District  of  Kin- 
tyre  to  Robert  Bruce  advocate  sheriff  of  the  County  of  Argyll 
in  an  action  before  the  sheriff  court  of  the  said  district  at  the 
disposal  of  Charles  Telkrig,  accountant  in  Edinburgh,  trustee 
for  his  Grace  George  William,  Duke  of  Argyll,  pursuer 
against  John  Greenlee's  tenant  in  the  farm  of  Keroblinraid, 
and  James  Brown  and  Arch'd  Brown  tenants  in  the  farm  of 
Keroblinraid  (now  known  as  Park  Farm)  defenders,  the 
sheriff  substitute  in  absence  decreed  and  ordained  and  hereby 
decerns  and  ordains  the  said  defenders  to  make  payment  to 
the  said  pursuer  of  the  respective  sums  of  money  after  men- 
tioned as  follows  visit  the  said  John  Greenlees  of  the  sum  of 
£110  sterling,  being  the  balance  of  rent  of  said  farm  of 
Keroblinraid  (or  Park  Farm)  due  at  the  term  of  Martin- 
mas, 1834,  still  un-in  manner  libelled  item  of  the  lawful  in- 
terest of  the  said  sum  from  and  since  the  same  became  due 
and  till  paid  item  of  the  sum  of  £1-1-6  sterling  being  his  pro- 
portion of  the  expenses  of  process  item  of  the  sum  of  31  ster- 
ling further  as  his  proportion  of  the  expenses  of  extracting  this 
decreet  and  recording  the  same,  and  the  said  James  Brown 
and  Arch'd  Brown  of  the  sum  £65  pounds  sterling  being  the 
year's  rent  of  the  said  farm  of  Kerblinraid,  due  at  the  term 
of  martinmas,  1 834,  in  manner  libelled  item  of  the  lawful  in- 
terest of  the  said  sum  from  and  since  the  same  became  due 
and  till  paid  item  of  the  sum  of  £1-1-6  sterling  being  their 
proportion  of  expenses  process  item  the  sum  of  £31  sterling 
further  being  their  proportion  of  the  expenses  of  extracting 
this  decreet  and  recording  the  same  and  ordains  instant  execu- 


29 

tion  by  Anestment  and  also  excution  by  pounding  to  pass  here 
on  after  a  charge  of  fifteen  days  hereby  Wanandted  be  given 
is  orderly  given  and  expired  also  ordains  att  to  here  execution 
necessary  to  pass  and  be  direct  her  on  in  form  as  affairs  extract 
written  and  signed  by  Lachan  Mclsaac  Depute  clerk  19th 
June,  1836. 


30 

Chapter  IV. 
JOHN  GREENLEE  TAKES  UP  CLAIM 

In  the  month  of  December,  1836,  John  Greenlee,  accom- 
panied by  his  nephew,  John  Armour,  and  two  helpers,  started 
for  the  Armour  claim.  The  weather  was  very  cold  and  the 
streams  were  high  and  difficult  to  cross.  There  were  no 
bridges  those  days  and  one  of  the  helpers  fell  through  the  ice 
and  was  nearly  drowned.  He  begged  of  them  to  let  him 
sleep.  Mr.  Greenlee  knew  that  if  they  let  him  sleep  that 
meant  death.  They  tormented  him  until  he  became  angry 
and  in  that  way  saved  the  man's  life.  They  came  to  the 
claim  and  erected  a  log  cabin,  14x14  feet,  on  the  north  side 
of  the  grove.  There  was  also  an  Indian  wigwam  built  of 
poles.  Then  they  returned  to  Ottawa  for  the  winter.  There 
are  two  branches  of  Willow  Creek  and  the  Scotch  Grove  is 
located  between  them,  mostly  in  Boone  County. 

In  the  year  1827  a  bill  was  passed  in  Congress  which 
granted  to  the  state  of  Illinois,  government  lands  for  the 
construction  of  a  canal.  This  was  a  strip  of  land  ten 
miles  wide,  giving  every  alternate  section  from  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  Illinois  river,  being  from  Chicago  to  Ottawa.  When 
these  public  lands  were  sold  the  proceeds  were  to  be  used 
for  the  construction  of  the  canal  in  much  the  same  way  as 
school  sections  were  disposed  of.  After  a  great  deal  of 
legislating  and  delay,  the  work  of  constructing  the  canal 
actually  began  July  4,  1836,  at  which  time  a  public  cele- 
bration was  held  in  Chicago.  This  was  the  first  boom 
that  Chicago  had  in  the  sale  of  town  lots.  It  was  known  as 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  and  was  completed  in  the 
year  1 848.  It  connected  the  Illinois  River  with  Lake  Michi- 
gan, south  of  Chicago.  In  the  winter  of  1836,  Mr.  Greenlee 
worked  as  a  stone  mason  on  the  aqueduct  of  the  canal  at 
Ottawa.  Many  of  the  pioneers  were  experts  at  laying  stone 
as  some  of  the  houses  and  basements  for  barns  still  remain  in 


31 
the  colony  which  were  built  by  them. 

In  the  spring  of  1837,  during  the  month  of  March,  through 
the  advice  of  the  Armours,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Greenlee  and 
their  young  family  came  to  the  Armour  claim  and  occupied 
the  Armour  log  cabin,  as  the  pioneers  of  the  Argyle  Settle- 
ment. All  the  land  in  this  vicinity  had  been  the  hunting 
grounds  of  the  Winnebago  tribe  of  Indians  after  which  this 
county  was  named.  The  government  had  bought  it  from  them 
and  paid  them  at  Fort  Dearborn,  Chicago.  At  the  junction 
of  the  Boulevard  and  River  Street  is  a  tablet  that  marks  the 
site  of  old  Fort  Dearborn.  The  Indians  passed  through  this 
locality  on  their  western  march  before  the  tide  of  emigration 
to  other  reservations  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  The  ashes 
of  their  campfires  were  still  on  the  ground  when  our  pioneers 
located  on  this  colony.  There  was  something  pathetic  about 
the  way  the  Indian  migrated,  going  single  file  across  the 
prairie,  carrying  their  children  and  little  belongings.  Indian 
trails  could  be  traced  years  afterward. 

The  first  night  in  the  cabin  had  its  terrors  for  the  Greenlee 
family.  There  was  no  door  in  the  cabin  and  a  woolen 
blanket  was  hung  across  the  entrance  to  keep  out  the  cold. 
Wolves  were  plentiful  in  the  country  at  that  time.  During 
the  night,  the  wolves  gathered  near  the  cabin  and  howled 
dismally.  We  can  imagine  the  terror  of  our  pioneers,  knowing 
how  little  protection  they  had  from  the  savage  beasts.  Al- 
though game  was  plentiful  in  the  country  at  that  time,  other 
food  was  scarce.  There  was  no  grain  raised  in  this  locality 
except  a  little  corn  that  the  Indians  had  planted.  Mr.  Green- 
lee bought  corn  from  an  Indian,  paying  a  high  price  and 
husking  it  himself,  grown  on  the  ground  where  the  Catholic 
church  now  stands  on  North  Second  street,  Rockford,  Illinois. 

That  the  young  people  may  have  a  better  understanding 
of  the  hardships  of  the  early  settlers,  the  following  incident 
will  illustrate.      Mr.   Greenlee,   not  having  oxen  or  wagon, 


32 

carried  a  sack  of  grain  on  his  back  to  a  mill  at  Newberg  on 
the  Kishwaukee  River,  there  being  no  provisions  for  the 
family  until  his  return.  Speaking  of  the  incident  years  after- 
wards, Mr.  Greenlee  said  that  he  shed  tears  as  he  went  with 
the  grain.  The  promise  was  fulfilled  in  that  "they  who  sow  in 
tears  shall  reap  in  joy." 

In  these  days  we  hear  people  spoken  of  as  having  an  iron 
will.  If  anyone  possessed  an  iron  will  it  was  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Greenlee,  for  to  their  heroic  endurance  and  untiring  energy 
is  due,  in  a  large  measure,  the  success  of  this  colony. 
The  first  white  man  to  call  at  the  Greenlee  cabin  was 
Horace  Dyer  who  later  settled  on  the  spring  about  a 
mile  west  of  Argyle.  A  few  weeks  after  their  arrival, 
one  still  morning,  Mr.  Greenlee  heard  the  sound  of  some 
one  chopping  wood  north  of  the  claim.  He  thought  it 
could  not  be  Indians  as  they  were  not  noted  for  doing  such 
work  so  he  decided  to  investigate.  It  proved  to  be  Henry 
and  Charles  Babcock  who  had  taken  up  a  claim.  Their 
claim  later  was  the  Alexander  McNair  and  John  Ralston 
farms,  extending  as  far  north  as  the  Kinnikinnick  Creek.  The 
Babcocks  proved  to  be  the  kindest  of  neighbors  and  Christian 
men,  Henry  Backcock  being  a  lay  Methodist  and  held  re- 
ligious services  in  the  colony  years  afterwards.  About  this 
time  the  Enoch  family  had  located  on  the  south  side  in  Guil- 
ford. With  the  Babcock  family  on  the  north  and  the  Enochs 
on  the  south,  our  pioneers  took  courage  feeling  that  they  were 
not  entirely  alone. 

In  the  summer  of  1837  Mr.  Greenlee  took  up  a  claim 
for  himself.  It  was  the  land  joining  the  Armour  claim 
on  the  west  side,  now  owned  by  the  Charles  Andrew  Est. 
and  Thomas  Andrew  Est.  During  the  summer  months 
he  was  busy  preparing  logs  to  build  a  larger  house  on 
his  claim.  Mr.  Greenlee  had  made  a  wagon  of  hard  wood 
having  solid  wheels  sawed  from  logs,  with  wooden  linch  pins. 


33 

There  was  not  a  nail  or  bolt  in  the  wagon.  He  had  purchased 
a  team  of  oxen.  Their  names  were  Lion  and  Brown  and 
were  the  pioneer  ox  team  of  the  Argyle  Settlement.  They  were 
large,  well-built  animals  nearly  black  with  white  markings  like 
the  modern  Holstein  cattle  and  had  fine  large  curving  horns. 
How  many  boys  and  girls  of  to-day  have  seen  an  ox  team  at 
work  in  the  field?  There  may  be  one  or  two  yokes  with  the 
bows  to  be  found  yet  in  the  garrets  of  some  of  the  farm  houses. 
Mr.  Greenlee  had  a  horse,  a  bay,  with  which  he  drew  the  logs 
to  the  site  of  the  log  house  by  means  of  a  log  chain.  He  also 
made  a  sort  of  sled  to  which  he  could  hitch  the  horse  and  in 
this  way  draw  the  material  for  the  roof  and  the  smaller 
timbers.  Afterwards  this  horse  and  sled  proved  a  great  help 
in  moving  the  old  country  chest  from  the  cabin  to  the  double 
log  house. 

With  the  assistance  of  the  Babcocks  and  the  Enochs,  Mr. 
Greenlee  erected  the  double  log  house  with  a  fireplace  at 
each  end.  It  was  a  good  thought  for  him  to  build  such  a 
large  house  as  it  was  a  welcome  resting  place  for  many 
families  who  came  later.  The  men  who  assisted  Mr.  Greenlee 
in  building  the  house  were  from  the  New  England  States  and 
were  experts  with  the  axe  and  knew  how  to  fit  the  corners  and 
finish  the  roof.  There  are  a  very  few  of  these  log  houses  now 
standing.  There  is  one  near  the  Sanitarium,  North  Second 
street,  Rockford,  Illinois.  The  exact  location  of  the  Greenlee 
double  log  house  was  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  John 
Andrew  farm  now  owned  by  Thomas  Andrew,  Est.  Mr. 
Greenlee  having  sold  eighty  acres  of  his  claim  to  John  Andrew 
at  a  later  date  which  included  the  site  of  the  double  log  house. 
Whatever  else  the  pioneers  might  lack,  they  had  plenty  of 
wood  to  burn  and  plenty  of  water  to  drink.  As  a  rule  the 
pioneers  settled  near  springs  or  creeks.  Water  and  wood 
could  be  had  without  much  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  soil. 
That  is  one  reason  why  some  of  the  best  farms  were  left  for 


34 

those  who  came  later.  In  this  humble  home  in  the  Scotch 
Grove  on  June  27,  1837,  Ellen  Greenlee  was  born,  being 
certainly  the  first  child  of  the  colony  and  many  believe  the 
first  in  the  county.  She  was  later  known  as  Mrs.  James  Ral- 
ston of  Guilford.  Three  of  her  sons  survive  her,  William 
Ralston,  John  G.  and  Earl. 

The  next  family  to  emigrate  from  Kintyre  to  Illinois  was 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  Reid.  They  followed  nearly  the  same 
journey  as  the  Greenlee  family,  leaving  the  home  land  in 
1837.  They  spent  the  winter  at  Ottawa  where  Mr.  Reid 
worked  on  the  canal.  Wm.  H.  Reid,  their  son,  was 
born  at  Ottawa.  In  the  spring  of  1838,  they  came 
to  the  Armour  claim  and  occupied  one  of  the  cabins,  re- 
maining there  until  they  moved  to  their  own  farm.  George 
Greenlee  of  Belvidere  told  the  following  incident  when  these 
two  families  lived  in  the  Scotch  Grove.  One  day  the  prairie 
got  on  fire  and  threatened  to  run  through  the  timber  and  burn 
the  cabins.  Hugh  Reid  had  bought  a  calf  which  he  had 
tethered  near  the  cabin.  He  removed  the  calf  to  a  place  of 
safety  and  on  his  return  his  good  wife  accosted  him  by  saying, 
"Ye  think  mar  o'  the  safety  o'  the  sturk  as  ye  da  o'  the  bairns." 
The  first  corn  that  Mr.  Greenlee  and  Mr.  Reid  planted  was 
put  in  the  ground  with  a  spade.  What  would  the  young 
tarmer  of  to-day  think  of  planting  corn  with  a  spade.  In  the 
summer  of  1 839,  James  S.  Reid  was  born,  being  the  first  male 
child  of  the  colony. 

In  the  year  1839,  the  following  families  emigrated  from 
Scotland:  George  Picken,  Robert  Howie,  James  Picken, 
Andrew  Giffen,  and  Alexander  McDonald.  George  Picken, 
leaving  his  family  with  Uncle  Greenlee,  went  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio  to  see  the  country  before  settling  on  a  farm.  Later, 
they  bought  part  of  the  Armour  claim,  the  farm  now  owned 
by  the  John  A.  Picken,  Est. 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev.   John 


35 

Giffen  in  regard  to  the  coming  of  his  father's  family  and  rela- 
tives, Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  Giffen  and  six  children.  "James 
Picken  and  family,  Robert  Howie  and  his  mother  and  Mrs. 
Janet  Howie,  Alexander  McDonald  and  family  sailed  from 
Greenock,  July  4,  1839,  in  the  sailing  vessel  named  Marion 
under  Captain  Pearson.  It  took  fifty-three  days  to  Chicago 
and  a  week  longer  to  reach  Rockford  and  the  Argyle  Settle- 
ment. We  were  about  one  hundred  days  from  Argyleshire, 
Scotland  to  Argyle,  Illinois,  a  journey  that  can  now  be  made 
in  less  than  fourteen  days. 

Alexander  McDonald  and  family  settled  on  eighty  acres 
of  land  being  the  southern  part  of  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Hugh  Smith.  About  this  time  there  was  a  saw  mill 
near  the  Abbie  Farm  on  the  Beaver  Creek  where  the 
settlers  could  bring  logs  and  have  them  sawed  into  lumber. 
The  McDonald  house  was  framed  like  a  barn  and  bricked  on 
the  inside.  The  McDonald  family  consisted  of  six  sons  and 
one  daughter,  the  youngest  who  died  in  infancy.  The  parents 
both  died,  leaving  six  orphan  boys.  The  family  had  to  be 
separated.  William,  the  oldest,  made  his  home  with  James 
Picken,  Alexander  with  William  Harvey,  Robert  and  John 
lived  with  their  Uncle  Robert  Howie,  James  made  his  home 
with  Hugh  Reid,  and  Andrew,  the  youngest,  with  Andrew 
Giffen.  The  farm  was  sold  to  William  Ferguson  and  the 
house  was  used  for  a  school  for  a  time. 

James  Picken  had  his  share  of  trouble  on  leaving  Scotland 
with  the  Giffen  family  on  July  4,  1839.  His  wife  died  on 
the  ocean  and  was  buried  at  sea,  leaving  the  husband  with 
three  young  children.  They  stayed  in  Ohio  one  year  before 
coming  to  the  colony. 

In  the  year  1 840,  the  following  families  came  to  the  colony. 
William  Ferguson,  John  Andrew,  Alexander  Reid,  Robert 
Armour,  and  Samuel  Howie.  William  Ferguson  was  a  carpen- 
ter to  trade  and  made  some  of  the  tables  and  other  furniture 


36 

that  was  in  use  in  the  early  days  and  also  made  the  caskets  that 
were  required.  Lumber  was  kept  in  the  loft  of  the  log  school 
house  for  that  purpose.  John  Andrew  bought  part  of  the 
Greenlee  claim,  the  farm  now  owned  by  Thomas  Andrew,  Est. 
He  was  an  enterprising  man  and  was  the  founder  of  the  village 
of  Argyle.  Robert  Armour  was  a  cousin  of  George  and  John 
Armour  and  settled  on  part  of  their  claim.  He  was  a  shoe- 
maker to  trade  before  coming  to  America.  Samuel  Howie  and 
family  emigrated  to  Canada  in  1836  coming  to  this  locality 
in  1840.  They  located  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  William 
Smith.  Alexander  Reid  left  Scotland  a  single  young  man. 
He  worked  a  year  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  before  coming  to  the 
colony.  Sandy,  as  he  was  called,  was  a  typical  Scotchman. 
His  marriage  to  Miss  Jenny  Picken  was  the  first  marriage  in 
the  settlement  which  took  place  March  25,  1842.  Sandy 
often  wore  an  overall  jacket  with  band  and  frill  and  when  in 
earnest  conversation  would  hold  the  corners  in  his  hands.  He 
used  to  tell  the  young  men  that  he  never  went  to  see  his  girl 
friend  at  night,  that  he  asked  her  in  broad  day  light  if  she 
would  marry  him  and  she  said  yes,  and  that  he  did  not  wear 
out  any  sole  leather  in  his  courtship. 

In  the  year  1841  the  following  families  came:  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gavin  Ralston  and  family  and  two  brothers,  David  and  John, 
who  were  single.  They  owned  the  land  where  the  village  of 
Caledonia  is  located.  Mr.  Ralston  told  his  friends  that  he  had 
twenty-five  cents  in  silver  left  after  his  long  journey.  He  had 
five  sons,  Robert,  John,  Gavin,  Alexander,  and  William. 
They  were  all  successful  in  life.  The  same  year,  John  Picken, 
who  was  a  brother  of  George  Picken,  came  and  located  on  the 
land  adjoining  his  brother.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  McEachran 
and  two  sons  left  Scotland  in  1 838.  They  were  six  weeks  on 
the  voyage  coming  in  the  same  ship  as  John  Picken.  They 
went  to  Michigan,  located  near  Detroit  where  James  Mc- 
Eachran was  born.    Mr.  John  McEachran  received  no  pay  for 


37 

his  first  year's  work,  the  man  he  worked  for  having  failed.  All 
he  received  was  an  axe.  Like  many  of  the  pioneers  he  had  to 
hue  his  way  to  success  with  his  axe.  He  worked  another  year 
in  Michigan,  coming  to  the  colony  in  1841  locating  on  the 
east  lane.  In  1862  Mr.  McEachran  was  elected  an  elder  in 
the  Willow  Creek  church. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Harvey  and  family  of  three  sons 
and  four  daughters  crossed  the  ocean  in  a  sailing  vessel 
named  the  Czar.  They  arrived  at  the  John  Greenlee  home 
on  the  seventeenth  of  July,  1841.  Mr.  Harvey  was  a  tanner 
to  trade  and  had  a  leather  store  in  Campbeltown  before  com- 
ing to  Illinois.  Mrs.  J.  O.  Gregory  of  N.  Horsman  street, 
Rockford,  Illinois,  relates  the  following  incident.  She  was  a 
young  girl  attending  school  in  the  village  of  Rockford  and 
staying  with  a  married  sister,  Mrs.  Parker.  Her  father,  John 
Greenlee,  came  to  Rockford  with  the  oxen  and  wagon  to  bring 
her  home.  At  that  time  there  were  no  roads  or  fences  in  the 
country.  They  could  drive  across  the  prairie.  They  were  a 
long  time  on  the  way  home.  Her  father  told  her  that  another 
family  had  arrived  from  Scotland.  When  she  got  home  that 
evening  she  saw  a  little  infant  child  asleep  on  the  lid  of  an  old 
country  chest  and  the  mother  standing  by  its  side.  That  child 
was  Margaret  Harvey,  who  years  later  was  Mrs.  William 
Giffen. 

There  were  seventeen  families  located  in  the  colony 
in  1841.  They  did  not  neglect  their  religious  obligations  and 
met  for  Sunday  service  at  the  home  of  John  Greenlee  or 
Andrew  Giffen,  slab  benches  being  used  for  seats.  Mr. 
Babcock,  a  lay  Methodist  and  Rev.  Forte,  a  Baptist  minister, 
living  near  the  Sanitarium,  also  Isreal  Soverign  of  New  Mil- 
ford,  supplied  them.  Two  Methodist  circuit  ministers,  Rev. 
Cain  and  Rev.  Bronze,  preached  for  them  at  different  times. 
The  weekly  prayer  meeting  was  held  on  Wednesday  evening 
at  one  of  the  settler's  homes.     They  often  went  with  oxen  and 


38 

sleigh  on  such  occasions.  It  was  the  custom  for  the  head  of 
the  house  to  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  by  way  of  opening 
the  meeting. 

The  first  school  in  the  colony  was  a  private  school 
taught  by  Miss  Janet  Giffen,  who  later  was  Mrs.  Birdsall 
of  Chicago.  It  was  intended  at  first  for  their  own  family, 
but  took  in  a  number  of  the  neighbor  children.  In  the  spring 
of  1 84 1 ,  logs  were  cut  by  the  settlers  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing a  school-house.  They  were  hauled  by  oxen  to  a  site  near 
the  John  Greenlee  quarry  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  the 
Charles  Andrew,  Est.  The  following  year  a  meeting  was 
called  to  take  further  action  in  regard  to  the  building.  It  was 
decided  to  move  the  logs  to  a  more  central  location.  Some 
thought  that  the  logs  were  too  long  and  the  building  would  be 
too  large  and  difficult  to  heat.  John  Andrew  advised  them 
not  to  cut  the  logs  any  shorter  as  more  families  were  expected 
from  Scotland.  In  1842  the  log  school-house  was  built  on 
Robert  Howie's  farm,  south  and  west  of  where  the  church 
now  stands.  The  building  stood  with  gable  ends  east  and 
west,  one  door  on  the  south  side,  three  windows,  one  on  the 
north,  south,  and  east,  with  a  fireplace  in  the  west  end.  The 
seats,  or  benches,  were  slabs  hewn  from  logs,  each  family 
providing  a  seat.  This  building  was  used  for  a  day  school, 
Sunday  school,  and  church  service  for  a  number  of  years.  It 
was  in  this  building  that  the  Willow  Creek  church  was  or- 
ganized. 


39 

Chapter  V 
EARLY  DAYS 

The  late  Mrs.  J.  O.  Gregory  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  who 
was  an  eye  witness  and  experienced  the  trials  and  hardships 
of  the  pioneer  days  describes  the  country  as  it  appeared  at 
that  time  and  notes  the  changes  that  have  taken  place  since  the 
early  days,  she  tells  her  own  story  in  a  very  interesting  way. 

"Some  reminiscences  of  the  early  days  by  Mrs.  Jeanette 
Greenlee  Gregory,  daughter  of  John  Greenlee,  the  pioneer  of 
the  Scotch  Settlement. 

It  was  in  1836  that  Father  and  his  family  came  from 
Argyleshire,  Scotland,  to  America,  landing  in  New  York  City 
in  July.  From  New  York  City,  the  route  was  up  the  Hudson 
River  to  Albany,  then  across  the  state  to  Buffalo  by  the  Erie 
Canal,  thence  around  the  Great  Lakes  down  to  Chicago.  At 
Chicago,  Father  hired  two  men  with  their  teams  and  covered 
wagons  to  take  us  to  Ottawa,  Illinois. 

The  family  at  this  time  consisted  of  Father  and  Mother  and 
six  children,  the  eldest,  sister  Martha,  being  about  thirteen 
years  old,  then  Elizabeth,  George,  Charles,  Jeanette  (myself) , 
about  three,  and  John,  about  one  year  old.  Mother  had  also 
brought  with  her  to  the  new  country  a  servant  girl,  Christina 
Galbraith,  who  had  been  with  her  all  her  married  life  in 
Scotland. 

It  was  on  this  journey  from  Chicago  to  Ottawa  by  wagon 
that  Father  had  the  first  experience  with  the  Indians.  The 
country  outside  of  Chicago  was  exceedingly  muddy  and  the 
second  day  out  one  of  the  heavily  loaded  wagons  stuck  in  the 
mud  and  the  neck  yoke,  or  something  about  one  of  the  wagons, 
broke,  making  it  necessary  to  hunt  up  some  one  to  repair  it, 
which  was  no  easy  matter.  We  must  remember  that  in  1836 
this  region  was  almost  unbroken  territory.  The  few  settlers 
scattered  far  and  wide  and  the  country  entirely  unknown  to 
Father.     It  was  getting  late  in  the  afternoon.     Leaving  one  of 


40 

the  teamsters  to  protect  the  family  and  wagons,  Father  started 
out  with  the  other  man  and  had  travelled  a  long  distance  when 
suddenly  he  came  upon  a  camp  of  Indians,  sitting  around  their 
campfire.  Father  thought  the  best  thing  to  do  was  to  walk 
up  fearlessly  and  show  that  he  had  no  weapons  and  only 
wanted  help.  But  the  instant  they  heard  footsteps  every  brave 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  seized  his  gun.  Father  said  afterwards 
that  his  heart  stood  still,  for  he  knew  that  he  was  entirely  in 
the  power  of  the  savages.  However,  he  had  the  presence  of 
mind  to  take  out  his  pipe  and  light  it  at  their  campfire  and  then 
to  give  them  all  the  tobacco  he  had  with  him  and  to  show  them 
the  broken  neck  yoke  and  make  signs  as  to  what  he  wanted. 
Then  gradually  the  Indians  calmed  down  and  seemed  satisfied 
that  he  intended  no  harm  and  by  signs  directed  him  to  a  white 
man  who  could  help  him  out.  So  the  yoke  was  repaired  and 
we  resumed  our  journey,  reaching  Ottawa  in  safety,  where  we 
remained  that  fall  and  winter. 

It  was  while  staying  in  Ottawa  and  waiting  to  locate  his 
new  claim  that  Father  worked  on  the  Aqueduct  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal  as  a  mason.  In  December  he  came  up 
from  Ottawa  with  John  Armour  and  two  workmen  and  located 
his  claim  in  what  is  now  known  as  the  Scotch  Settlement, 
Winnebago  County. 

Early  the  next  spring  he  moved  up  the  family  and  we  lived 
in  a  cabin  temporarily  until  our  own  log  house  should  be  built. 
This  was  the  Armour  cabin  on  the  east  side  of  the  grove. 
Everything  was  new  and  strange  to  the  family  and  mother 
must  have  spent  many  lonely  days  that  first  summer.  Father 
was  very  busy  getting  material  ready  for  the  new  log  house 
and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  work  to  be  done.  Fortunately  he 
had  taken  with  him  from  Scotland  quite  an  assortment  of  tools 
which  he  knew  would  be  needed  in  a  new  country.  He  was 
very  skillful  in  using  them  and  making  things,  so  in  this  way  our 
house  was  better  equipped  with  conveniences  than  it  otherwise 


41 

would  have  been.  He  also  brought  with  him  a  compass  which 
proved  invaluable,  enabling  him  to  keep  his  directions  in  a 
country  without  roads  or  landmarks  of  any  kind. 

To  show  that  children  in  those  days  had  to  be  brave  and 
manly  beyond  their  years,  I  will  relate  a  little  incident  about 
brother  George  which  occured  that  first  summer  of  1837 
shortly  after  we  came  from  Ottawa.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
McBride  had  come  into  the  country  and  taken  up  land  and 
was  building  a  house  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  Belvidere. 
Hearing  of  Father  he  came  and  asked  him  to  build  his  chim- 
ney. Father  walked  to  Belvidere  prepared  to  stay  one  night. 
He  took  George,  then  about  eight  and  a  half  years  old,  with 
him,  as  it  was  necessary  to  send  him  back  alone  that  same  day 
with  some  things  necessary  for  the  family.  It  was  a  long  lone- 
some walk  for  the  small  boy,  over  a  trackless  country  of  wood 
and  brush  and  not  a  habitation  between  our  cabin  and  what  is 
now  Belvidere,  and  George  had  never  been  far  from  home  be- 
fore. So  Father  thoughtfully  took  his  hatchet  with  him  and 
"blazed  a  trail"  as  they  walked  along  so  that  George  could  find 
his  way  home,  which  he  did  in  safety,  for  he  was  a  brave  son  of 
a  brave  pioneer  father.  As  I  think  of  it  now,  after  all  these 
years,  it  was  taking  a  great  risk,  as  there  might  have  been 
Indians  lurking  about,  or  wild  beasts. 

I  think  it  was  on  this  same  trip  that  Father  took  George  to 
see  Big  Thunder  on  his  burial  mound  on  the  very  site  where 
the  Court  House  now  stands  in  Belvidere.  Big  Thunder  was 
an  Indian  chief  who  had  recently  come  to  his  death  and  as 
was  the  custom  of  the  Indians,  he  was  buried  above  ground  in 
a  sitting  posture,  dressed  in  his  blanket  and  war  paint  and 
headdress  of  feathers  and  surrounded  by  his  tomahawks  and 
knives,  pipes  and  tobacco.  The  whole  space  was  enclosed  in 
a  palisade  of  heavy  split  pickets,  strong  enough  to  keep  out 
wild  beasts.  The  sight  made  a  vivid  impression  on  the  little 
boy  and  he  often  described  it  afterward.     Squaw  Prairie  on 


42 

which  Belvidere  is  now  located  was  a  favorite  summer  camp- 
ing ground  of  the  wandering  tribes  of  the  Winnebagoes. 

As  I  look  back  now,  I  sometimes  wonder  how  Father  and 
Mother  were  able  to  supply  the  daily  needs  of  the  family  in 
that  first  year  or  two  in  the  new  world.  I  am  sure  that  none 
of  us  suffered  from  cold  or  hunger.  There  was  always  plenty 
of  wood  provided  for  the  fireplace  and  as  for  clothing  and 
bed-furnishings,  those  great  chests  which  we  brought  from 
Scotland  contained  enough  to  last  us  several  years.  But  food 
supplies  were  high  and  scarce  and  difficult  to  obtain,  nothing 
being  raised  here  yet  and  we  were  many  miles  from  any  base 
of  supplies,  Chicago  and  Ottawa  being  the  nearest.  I  have 
heard  father  say  that  he  paid  $25  for  a  barrel  of  pork  and  $2 1 
for  a  barrel  of  flour,  the  pork  coming  from  Indiana.  It  must 
have  required  a  good  deal  of  fore-thought  to  see  that  there 
were  enough  provisions  on  hand,  as  it  would  have  been  dis- 
astrous in  the  wilderness  to  let  the  food  supply  run  out. 
Fortunately  wild  game  was  abundant  and  that  helped  out 
with  the  meat  supply. 

It  was  while  Father  was  working  in  the  grove,  getting  out 
timber  for  the  new  log  house,  that  he  observed  bees  flying 
about  and  traced  them  to  hollow  trees  where  they  were  storing 
their  honey.  So  the  family  had  plenty  of  honey  for  the  getting. 
In  the  grove  the  wild  game  was  plentiful,  especially  prairie 
chickens,  quail  and  pigeons.  Pheasants  and  partridges  were 
quite  numerous  also.  There  were  wild  turkeys  too,  but  they 
were  more  shy. 

I  remember  well  one  of  the  older  children  showing  me  the 
nest  of  a  wild  turkey  under  a  brush  near  where  Father  was 
working.  We  did  not  know  till  afterwards  that  those  large 
speckled  eggs,  so  different  from  hen's  eggs,  were  those  of  a 
turkey. 

Then  there  were  hawks  and  owls  in  great  variety,  also 
crows  and  sand-hill  cranes.     We  often  saw  and  heard  great 


43 

flocks  of  wild  geese  flying  over  and  alighting  in  the  sloughs. 

The  native  animals,  I  remember,  were  the  deer,  which  were 
quite  plentiful,  wolves,  wild  cats,  mink,  weasel,  rabbits  and 
squirrels.  Also  large  land  turtles  and  last  of  all  plenty  of 
snakes,  the  bane  of  a  new  country.  I  have  said  the  deer  were 
quite  plentiful  and  I  think  this  particular  place  must  have  been 
their  favorite  haunt,  at  least  one  of  them.  There  was  a  spring 
on  Father's  claim  near  the  stone  quarry  where  the  deer  came 
every  morning  to  drink.  I  can  still  see  in  memory  the  grace- 
ful creatures  as  they  left  the  spring  or  lingered  to  browse  on 
the  hazel  brush  near  where  Willow  Creek  church  now  stands, 
before  they  disappeared  into  the  big  grove  farther  south  and 
east.  As  more  settlers  came  into  the  country  these  shy  animals 
grew  more  and  more  scarce  and  finally  disappeared  altogether. 

There  were  also  the  beautiful  song  birds  with  their  brilliant 
plumage  but  Mother  thought  their  song  did  not  sound  as  sweet 
to  her  as  that  of  the  mavis  and  laverock  of  "Bonnie  Scotland." 

I  must  make  mention  of  the  beautiful  flowers  that  grew 
wild,  carpeting  the  prairie  with  their  brilliant  coloring,  red, 
pink,  purple,  white,  blue,  and  yellow,  each  in  its  season.  There 
were  asters,  cardinal  flowers,  wild  tiger  lilies,  shooting  stars, 
lady  slippers,  cranes-bill  geraniums  and  Indian  compass. 

The  air  was  fragrant  in  spring  with  blossoms  of  the  wild 
crab  apple,  wild  plums,  cherry,  blackberry,  and  red  raspberry. 
There  were  also  juniper  berries,  thorn  apples  and  abundance  of 
wild  strawberries. 

THE  PRAIRIE  FIRE 

An  experience  of  that  first  summer  (1837)  that  is  stamped 
on  my  memory  from  hearing  it  related,  is  the  prairie  fire. 
Father  and  Mother  were  awakened  about  midnight  by  a  roar- 
ing noise  and  on  getting  up  and  looking  out  they  saw,  to  their 
horror,  a  great  fire  off  towards  the  south,  driven  by  the  wind 
towards  the  house.  On  and  on  the  fire  came  with  great  leaps 
and  bounds,  over  the  prairie,  licking  up  the  long  prairie  grass 


44 

and  brush  and  running  up  the  trees  as  it  came  into  the  grove. 
It  was  a  terrifying  sight  and  father  fully  realized  that  there 
was  no  way  of  escape  unless  a  higher  power  intervened. 
Father  and  Mother  gathered  the  children  together  and  waited 
in  an  agony  of  mind,  for  they  knew  not  what.  When  the  fire 
was  nearly  upon  us,  seemingly  from  a  clear  sky  came  a  deluge 
of  rain,  like  a  cloud  burst  and  extinguished  the  flames.  Father 
always  said  "It  was  the  Hand  of  God"  and  counted  it  one  of 
his  merciful  providences  that  the  family  was  saved  on  that 
awful  night.  When  the  light  of  the  next  morning  came,  the 
bare,  black  ground  and  the  blackened  tree  trunks,  in  the  wake 
of  the  fire,  testified  to  our  narrow  escape. 

As  I  have  said  it  was  very  lonely  for  the  family  in  the  cabin 
that  summer  as,  for  the  first  fourteen  weeks  after  coming  from 
Ottawa,  Mother  had  not  seen  a  person  except  her  own  family. 
One  day  sister  Martha  came  running  in  exclamaing,  "Mother, 
there's  a  man  coming  through  the  brush,"  and  she  hastily  added 
"He  is  a  white  man  at  that."  For  she  knew  Mother  had  a 
fear  of  the  Indians.  The  white  man  proved  to  be  Horace 
Dyer,  who  was  prospecting  for  land. 

The  summer  of  1837  wore  away  and  the  time  was  drawing 
near  for  the  completion  of  the  log  house.  Father's  was  still 
the  only  Scotch  family  here,  but  a  few  other  settlers  had  been 
coming  in,  and  by  this  time  there  were  five  men  within  a  radius 
of  six  miles  who  came  to  help  Father  with  the  raising  of  the 
logs  and  putting  on  the  roof.  These  men  were  all  Americans, 
and  they  were  exceedingly  kind  and  helpful  and  knew  how  to 
take  told  of  things  in  a  new  country.  The  spot  where  Father 
chose  to  locate  the  log  house  was  near  the  Boone  County  line, 
between  a  quarter  and  a  half  mile  northeast  of  the  present 
Willow  Creek  church  and  back  in  the  field  from  the  present 
State  Road,  which  was  not  then  laid  out.  Father  afterward 
sold  the  eighty  acres  on  which  the  house  stood  to  Mr.  John 
Andrew,  Sr. 


45 

We  moved  in  October  and  here  we  were  to  make  our  home 
for  a  number  of  years. 

I  remember  perfectly  the  log  house  with  its  two  great 
chimneys  and  fire-places  and  its  two  large  rooms,  but  will 
not  take  space  to  describe  it  here. 

Many  are  the  memories  that  cluster  about  the  home.  It 
was  here  that  my  two  younger  sisters,  Helen  and  Ann,  were 
born,  and  here  that  my  two  elder  sisters,  Martha  and  Eliza- 
beth were  married.  Helen  was  the  first  child  born  in  the 
Scotch  Settlement.  It  was  in  this  house  also  that  so  many 
families  coming  from  Scotland  in  the  next  few  years  found  a 
hearty  welcome  and  a  home  with  our  family  until  their  own 
houses  were  built. 

I  never  remember  the  time  that  Father  did  not  have  daily 
family  worship  in  the  home.  He  read  a  chapter  from  the 
Bible,  then  all  joined  in  the  singing  of  a  hymn  or  psalm  after 
which  Father  offered  prayer.  Each  of  the  older  children  had 
a  Bible  of  his  own  and  followed  the  reading  carefully,  while 
the  little  ones,  who  could  not  yet  read  looked  on  with  an  older 
brother  or  sister,  tracing  the  words  with  a  finger.  It  was  in 
this  way  that  I  learned  the  way  to  read  for  we  had  no  school 
books. 

The  first  school  I  attended  was  that  of  Miss  Janet  Giffen, 
who  had  opened  a  private  school  in  her  father's  house  shortly 
after  they  came  from  Scotland.  That  was  in  the  summer. 
The  next  winter,  brother  George  and  I  were  sent  to  Rockford 
to  attend  a  school  there  and  stay  at  sister  Martha's,  who  by 
this  time  had  married  Mr.  Parker  and  was  living  in  Rockford. 
The  school  was  located  south  of  State  street  near  where  the 
City  Hall  now  stands  and  the  teacher  was  Miss  Hutchinson, 
a  lady  from  the  East.  The  next  summer  I  went  to  a  school  in 
Rockford  taught  by  Miss  Barnum,  who  also  came  from  the 
East.  The  school  was  located  north  of  State  street  on  the 
present  site  of  the  East  Side  Park. 


46 

I  recall  that  it  was  when  I  came  home  from  attending  this 
school  in  1841  that  the  William  Harvey  family  had  arrived 
from  Scotland  and  were  staying  at  father's  and  how  delighted 
I  was  to  see  so  many  children,  and  that  there  were  girls  in  the 
family  who  would  be  companions  for  me. 

In  1 842  the  log  school  house  was  built  and  we  then  attended 
there,  Mr.  Lovesee  being  the  first  teacher.  I  distinctly  re- 
member an  incident  that  happened  one  day  at  this  school  dur- 
ing Mr.  Lovesee's  term.  I  refer  to  the  passing  of  a  long  line 
of  Indians.  The  teacher  dismissed  his  school  so  that  the 
children  could  go  outside  and  get  a  good  view  of  the  interesting 
spectacle.  We  could  see  the  Indians  in  the  distance  winding 
along  the  trail  towards  the  school  house  after  crossing  Willow 
Creek.  They  passed  right  by  the  east  end  of  the  school  house. 
The  braves  were  mounted  on  their  Indian  ponies,  carrying 
their  guns,  and  I  recall  how  straight  each  one  sat  looking 
stolidly  ahead,  neither  to  right  or  left.  Straggling  along  after 
them,  on  foot,  of  course,  came  the  squaws,  carrying  the 
burdens,  and  many  a  one  had  her  papoose  strapped  on  her 
back.  It  was  in  early  spring,  a  cold  bleak  day,  and  the  women 
were  thoroughly  chilled.  We  saw  three  of  the  squaws  leave 
the  procession  and  go  down  to  Robert  Howie's  house.  A  few 
of  the  little  school  girls,  including  Elizabeth  and  Mary  Picken 
and  myself,  followed  at  a  distance  and  went  in  after  them. 
They  had  come  to  beg,  and  Robert  Howie's  sister,  Mrs. 
McDonald,  kind-hearted  woman  that  she  was,  had  given 
them  bread  and  allowed  the  poor  creatures  to  come  and  warm 
at  the  fire.  We  saw  one  squaw  unstrap  the  board  from  her 
back  with  the  baby  on  it  and  set  it  upright  against  the  wall, 
baby  and  all,  while  she  warmed  herself.  The  baby  was  as 
stolid  as  the  rest  and  never  uttered  a  cry.  These  Indians  were 
some  of  the  scattered  tribes  of  the  Winnebagoes,  who  had 
wintered  in  the  woods  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Beaver,  and  were 
on  their  way  north  to  join   the  rest  of  their  people  before 


47 

crossing  the  Mississippi. 

During  our  last  years  in  the  log  house,  Father  had  been 
erecting,  mostly  with  his  own  hands,  a  more  permanent  dwell- 
ing on  another  part  of  his  farm.  This  was  the  large  two  story 
stone  house  into  which  we  moved  about  the  year  1844.  It 
was  located  about  half  a  mile  directly  north  of  the  spot  where 
the  church  now  stands,  and  it  remained  standing  as  many  of 
the  people  of  the  vicinity  remember  until  quite  recently,  when 
it  was  taken  down.  The  site  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Charles 
Andrew's  new  home. 

The  Scottish  Cemetery  is  located  on  ground  one  half  of 
which  was  originally  the  extreme  northeast  corner  of  Father's 
farm  in  Winnebago  County,  and  the  other  half  lying  in  Boone 
county  was  the  northwest  corner  of  the  George  Picken  farm. 

As  I  think  of  the  stone  house  a  flood  of  memories  comes 
over  me,  of  things  that  occured  while  this  was  our  home.  Here 
it  was  that  the  three  younger  daughters,  including  myself, 
were  married.  And  from  this  home  it  was  that  my  three 
brothers  went  to  make  homes  of  their  own.  To  this  house 
also  father  brought  home  his  two  young  grandsons,  John  and 
George  Parker,  upon  the  death  of  their  mother,  my  sister 
Martha,  Mrs.  Frank  Parker,  in  Rockford.  Here  they  made 
their  home  with  our  family  until  they  grew  to  manhood  and 
John  Parker  enlisted  in  the  Civil  War. 

Among  other  memories,  I  recall  the  time  when  Willow 
Creek  church  was  organized  in  1 845  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Norton, 
and  their  meetings  in  the  log  school-house.  We  came  to  know 
Mr.  Norton  very  well,  as  he  preached  there  often  and  always 
stopped  at  Father's  house  on  his  way  coming  and  going,  Father 
being  one  of  the  three  first  elders.  Then  there  was  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Walker,  who  boarded  with  us  until  he  was  married  and  a 
parsonage  was  fitted  up  for  him  in  half  of  Mrs.  Smith's  house. 
I  remember  perfectly  all  the  early  ministers,  as  Father  and 
Mother  were  very  hospitable  and  the  ministers  found  always  a 


48 

welcome  in  our  home.     Among  them  one  stands  out  more 
distinctly  in  my  mind  than  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ustick. 

I  have  vivid  recollections  of  my  going  away  to  Rockford 
Seminary  (now  college)  just  opened  by  Miss  Sill,  and  a  little 
later,  of  brother  John  entering  the  Academy  at  Marengo  in 
company  with  four  other  young  men  of  the  settlement,  namely, 
Andrew  and  John  Giffen,  David  Andrew,  and  Archie 
Armour.  Mr.  Ustick  was  our  minister  at  that  time  and  I 
recall  many  of  his  sermons  preached  in  the  new  brick  church. 

Later  memories  are  of  the  Singing  Schools  and  the  popular 
musical  Geography  School  held  in  the  evening,  and  I  can 
still  see  in  imagination  one  of  the  young  people  stepping  up  to 
the  map  and  pointing  out  the  place  while  the  whole  school 
sang,  perhaps: — 

"Now  the  Peninsulas  we  sing, 
Alaska  leads  the  rhyme,  sir. 
Then  Melville,  Nova  Scotia,  come, 
All  in  a  northern  clime,  sir." 

The  following  is  taken  from  a  newspaper  clipping,  Novem- 
ber 28,  1917,  regarding  the  death  of  Mrs.  J.  O.  Gregory: 

The  kindly  spirit  of  Mrs.  Janette  Greenlee  Gregory,  widow 
of  James  O.  Gregory  and  resident  of  this  section  for  over 
eighty  years,  deserted  its  tenement  of  clay  yesterday  afternoon 
at  4  o'clock  at  her  home,  603  Horsman  street,  after  an  illness 
of  two  weeks  of  infirmities  of  age. 

She  was  born  in  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Helen  Brown  Greenlee.  She  came  to  this  country  with 
her  parents  when  three  years  of  age  and  in  1836  the  family 
located  in  what  is  now  Argyle  and  founded  what  became 
widely  known  as  the  "Scotch  Settlement." 

She  was  one  of  the  early  day  graduates  of  the  Rockford 
Seminary  conducted  by  Miss  Anna  P.  Sill  and  her  marriage 
to  James  O.  Gregory,  of  Delavan  country,  New  York,  was 
an  event  of  April  19,  1855.     After  spending  ten  years  on  the 


49 

farm  owned  by  the  groom  they  moved  to  Belvidere,  where 
Mr.  Gregory  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  for  four  years. 

They  located  in  Rockford  in  1871,  purchasing  the  home  at 
603  Horsman  street  which  has  since  been  their  home  and 
where  Mr.  Gregory  passed  away  four  years  ago.  Mr. 
Gregory  embarked  in  the  hardware  line  in  West  State  street 
and  conducted  a  successful  business  for  many  years,  retiring 
some  years  ago  to  enjoy  a  well  earned  competency. 

Mrs.  Gregory  is  survived  by  two  daughters,  the  Misses 
Helen  and  Elizabeth  Greenlee  Gregory,  and  one  son,  Wilbur 
J.  Gregory,  of  Manistee,  Mich.  She  also  leaves  a  sister,  Mrs. 
Ann  Turner,  of  this  city.  She  held  membership  of  long 
standing  in  Court  Street  M.  E.  Church. 

Mrs.  Gregory  exemplified  in  a  high  degree  the  virtues  that 
brighten  the  home  and  make  it  the  dearest  spot  on  earth.  As 
a  daughter,  wife  and  mother  she  measured  up  to  the  best 
ideals  of  Christian  womanhood.  She  was  possessed  of  a  keen 
mind  and  sound  memory  and  her  recollections  of  early  days 
in  this  section  were  of  absorbing  interest  to  the  present  genera- 
tion. She  was  gentle  in  manner  and  attracted  into  the  circle 
of  her  friendship  old  and  young,  through  the  charm  of  her 
genial  personality.  Her  passing  will  be  sincerely  mourned  by 
a  wide  acquaintanceship. 


50 

Chapter  VI 
MORE   EMIGRANTS 

For  the  date  of  the  sailing  of  the  good  ship  Gleaner,  we 
are  indebted  to  James  Montgomery  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  he 
having  found  it  among  his  father's  papers.  The  Gleaner  was 
the  only  vessel  or  barque  that  sailed  direct  from  Campbeltown 
to  New  York,  all  the  others  having  sailed  from  Glasgow  or 
Greenock. 

"The  following  people  sailed  in  the  barque,  Gleaner,  from 
Campbeltown,  under  Captain  Gale  for  New  York  on  the  fourth 
day  of  June,  1 842,  Saturday,  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
William  Montgomery,  James  Montgomery  and  family,  three 
sons  and  four  daughters,  and  John  Montgomery,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Daniel  Smith  and  family,  six  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  a 
sister's  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Neil  McKay  and  family,  four 
sons,  Robert,  John,  Alexander,  and  Neil,  two  daughters,  Flora 
and  Agnes,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Caldwell,  his  mother  and 
mother-in-law,  David  C.  Ralston,  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Peter  Greenlee  and  family,  four  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, and  his  mother,  Archie  McNair  and  family,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  David  Andrew  and  family,  six  sons  and  three  daughters, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mathew  Howie,  two  sons  and  one  daughter, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Ralston,  two  sons  and  five  daughters, 
Campbell  Kelley,  and  Angus  Cummings. 

There  were  about  one  hundred  passengers,  most  of  them 
going  to  Illinois  and  some  to  Ohio.  It  blew  a  heavy  gale  of 
wind  from  the  west  continuing  until  the  27th.  They  arrived  in 
New  York  on  June  28,  all  in  good  health.  The  same  year 
the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Reid  came.  Mrs. 
Reid's  maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Park.  They  were  a 
typical  old  Scotch  couple.  All  the  young  people  called  them 
Granddaddy  and  Granny  Reid.  Accompanying  theme  were 
James  Reid,  Mrs.  McNair  and  her  two  children,  one  son, 
Alexander  and  one  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who  afterwards  was 


51 

Mrs.  D.  C.  Ralston.  Mrs.  McNair's  second  husband  was 
James  Picken.  Their  family  was  Hugh,  Mary  and  Margaret 
Picken.  The  Reids  and  McNairs  located  on  part  of  the 
Babcock  claim,  being  the  farm  now  owned  by  James  McNair. 

In  1843  came  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Ralston  and  family  of 
three  sons  and  two  daughters.  He  was  a  brother  of  William 
Ralston  who  came  with  the  Gleaner.  They  located  on  West 
Lane  on  the  farm  later  owned  by  J.  R.  McDonald.  Mr. 
Ralston  was  elected  an  elder  in  the  Willow  Creek  church. 
The  same  year  came  Charles  Picken,  brother  of  James 
Picken.  He  owned  the  farm  on  West  Lane  afterwards  owned 
by  Thomas  Ralston,  now  in  the  possession  of  Robert  Irvine. 

Alexander  Ralston,  who  was  a  brother  of  Robert  and  D. 
C.  Ralston,  on  leaving  Scotland  came  to  St.  Johns,  New- 
foundland. From  there  he  went  to  Ohio,  coming  to  the  settle- 
ment in  1843.  He  owned  the  farm  on  West  Lane,  now 
owned  by  James  Greenlee. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lionel  Henderson,  with  their  two  sons,  John 
and  Robert,  emigrated  from  Kintyre  to  Canada  in  1841. 
They  remained  there  for  two  years  coming  to  the  colony  in 
1843,  locating  on  farms  south  of  Caledonia.  Mr.  Henderson 
was  a  shoemaker  by  trade.  At  this  time  there  was  thirty 
families  located  in  the  colony. 

In  the  spring  of  1843  a  Sunday  School  was  organized  in 
the  log  school-house.  Daniel  Smith  was  the  first  superintend- 
end  and  continued  to  be  until  his  death.  Those  who  succeeded 
him  were  Robert  Howie  and  Alexander  Ralston.  As  near  as 
can  be  ascertained  the  teachers  of  the  first  Sunday  School  were 
Mrs.  William  Harvey,  Flora  Smith,  Janet  Giffen,  Robert 
Smith,  Robert  Montgomery,  Alexander  McNair,  and  later 
Mrs.  Walker  and  T.  L.  Breckenridge.  Daniel  Smith  brought 
a  number  of  books  with  him  from  Scotland  which  he  kindly  lent 
to  the  school.  During  the  week  the  books  that  were  not  in  use 
were  kept  in  a  "maan"  or  creel  (a  willow  basket)  in  Robert 


UNIVERSITY  OF 
ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 


52 

Howie's  house. 

Thomas  L.  Breckenridge,  one  of  the  Sunday  School 
teachers,  had  a  peculiar  and  romantic  history.  He  was 
a  school  teacher  and  lawyer  and  often  in  the  absence  of  a 
minister  would  read  a  sermon.  He  was  a  natural  orator  and 
public  speaker.  His  reading  of  the  psalms  and  hymns  were 
very  impressive,  especially  the  hymn,  "Jesus  shall  reign  where 
e'er  the  sun  doth  his  successive  journeys  run."  His  advent  to 
the  Argyle  Settlement  was  rather  romantic,  appearing  one  day 
at  the  John  Greenlee  home  apparently  in  destitute  circum- 
stances, being  poorly  dressed  and  exhausted  by  long  travel. 
He  was  cordially  welcomed  by  Mr.  Greenlee  who  remembered 
him  as  a  little  boy  with  his  father  at  the  old  Southend  church. 
After  a  time  he  confided  to  the  Greenlee  family  that  he  had 
come  to  them  direct  from  Nauvoo  where  he  had  been  teaching 
school.  About  this  time  there  was  an  uprising  against  the 
Mormons  at  Nauvoo  and  the  jail  at  Carthage  and  Warren 
were  burned.  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother,  the  leaders  and 
founders  of  the  Mormon  church  at  Nauvoo,  had  been  killed. 
Mr.  Breckenridge  was  a  captain  or  leader  in  the  uprising  and 
was  supposed  to  have  been  implicated  in  the  plot.  It  was  not 
known  whether  he  had  any  part  in  the  affair  or  not  but  that 
was  the  reason  he  left  Nauvoo.  No  one  ever  came  to  arrest 
him  and  he  stayed  in  the  settlement  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
had  the  sympathy  of  the  community  and  was  an  honored 
citizen.  As  far  as  is  known,  he  had  no  relatives  in  America. 
He  was  at  one  time  a  partner  with  L.  F.  Warner,  a  lawyer 
in  Rockford,  and  was  one  of  the  prominent  lawyers  of  the 
county  for  a  number  of  years.  He  had  the  generous  qualities 
and  also  the  weakness  that  men  of  great  genius  often  possess. 

The  history  of  the  Willow  Creek  church  was  written  at  the 
time  of  the  Semicentenial  Celebration  on  the  sixth  and  seventh 
of  June,  1895,  and  also  at  the  time  of  the  seventy  fifth  anni- 
versary, June  22-23,  1920.    Although  this  is  not  a  church  his- 


53 


tory  strictly  speaking,  yet  the  church  life  and  the  social  life  of 
the  community  has  always  been  so  closely  connected  that  we 
cannot  mention  one  without  the  other.  An  effort  was  made 
to  organize  a  church  in  1843.  No  record  was  kept  of  the 
proceedings  and  no  further  action  was  taken  until  December, 
1844.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Norton,  a  new  school  minister  living  at 
Rockton,  organized  the  church  with  fifty-one  members. 

The  charter  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
Willow  Creek  are  as  follows: 


Daniel  Smith 
Mrs.  Smith 
Flora  Smith 
Robert  Smith 
John  Smith 
John  Andrew 
Mary  Andrew 
John  Picken 
Elizabeth  Ralston,  Sr. 
Ellen  Ferguson 
Robert  Howie 
Janet  Howie 
George  Picken 
Jean  Picken 
John  Martin 
Mrs.   Martin 
James  Montgomery 
Elizabeth  Montgomery 
Hugh  Reid 
Mrs.  Reid 
Alexander  Reid 
Janet  Reid 

Alexander  McDonald 
Margaret  McDonald 
Andrew  GifFen 


Charlotte  Armour 
Mary  McNair 
John  Greenlee 
Ellen  Greenlee 
Peter  Ralston 
Margaret  Ralston 
Peter  Greenlee 
Martha  Greenlee 
William  Ferguson 
Janet  GifFen 
Lionel  Henderson 
Margaret  Henderson 
John  Caldwell 
Margaret  Caldwell 
Ellen  Ralston 
Alexander  Ralston 
David  Ralston,  Jr. 
Mary  Harvey 
Charles  Picken 
Samuel  Howie 
Janet  Howie 
David  Ralston,  Sr. 
Gavin  Ralston 
Jane  Ralston 
Robert  Ralston 


John  Ralston 
As  the  majority  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Willow 
Creek  Church  were  from  the  Southend  Church,  it  may  be  of 
interest  to  the  readers  to  see  the  names  of  the  members  of  the 
Southend  Church  who  signed  the  call  to  their  first  minister, 
the  Rev.  Alexander  Laing,  M.  A.,  which  was  given  on  the 
25th  of  February,  1  799,  being  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years 


54 

ago.  The  original  call  came  into  possession  of  Mr.  A.  D. 
Armour  through  his  great  grandfather,  Alexander  Dunlop. 
Some  time  ago  he  handed  the  document  to  Mr.  William  Reid 
and  Mr.  James  Breckenridge  who  saw  its  historical  value  and 
had  it  mounted  and  framed.  At  a  presentation  gathering  in 
the  Southend  U.  F.  Church  on  February  25,  1915,  on  the 
hundred  and  sixteenth  anniversary,  the  original  call  was  pre- 
sented to  the  session  of  the  church  it  being  mounted  and  framed 
and  was  to  be  hung  on  the  wall  of  the  session  room.  Note 
that  many  of  the  family  names  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
Willow  Creek  Church  and  the  Southend  Church  are  the 
same.  The  ministers  who  followed  the  Rev.  Laing  were 
Rev.  Lambie,  Rev.  Small,  Rev.  Young,  and  Rev.  John  G. 
Frain.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  members  who 
signed  the  original  call;  as  taken  from  a  newspaper  clipping: 
"In  testimony  whereof  these  presents,  written  by  James 
Telfer,  writer  in  Campbeltown,  are  subscribed  by  us  at  the 
Relief  Church  of  Southend,  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  February, 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-nine  years. 

John  Picken  William  McFarlane 

George  Greenlees  Neil  M'Tavish 

Matthew  Cordiner  Archd.  Watson 

Andrew  Ralston  James  Hall 

Andrew  Ralston  Robert  Allan 

James  Wilson  William  Wallace 

John  Reid  James  Caldwell 

Peter  Huie  John  Giffen 

David  Wyllie  Alexander  Reid 

Andrew  Breckenridge  John  Watson 

James  M'Donald  Mathew  Reid 

William  Allan  James  Gordon 

Robert  Dunlop  James  GifTen 

David  Huie  William  Huie 

John  Huie  John  Ralston 

Edward  Greenlees  William  Greenlees 

Robert  Huie  Archd.  Brown 

John  Macintyre  William  Andrew 

James  Ralston  William  Picken 

David  Andrew  Robert  Brown 

Thomas  M'Naught  William  Wilson 


55 

James  Drain  David  Hogarth 

Alexander  Picken  John  M'Donald 

Malcolm  M 'Bride  David  Reid 

Hugh  Reid  John  Reid 

John  Reid  Andrew  Reid 

Thomas  Brown  Gavin  Ralston 

Donald  Smith  James  Picken 

James  Mitchell  John  Greenlees 

David  Andrew  Archibald  Murchy 

Robert  M'Guinnes  Daniel  Murchy 

Hugh  Breckenridge  William  Reid 

Robert  Greenlees  Archd.  Paterson 

James  Langwill  John  Langwill 

Charles  Brown  Thomas  Greenlees 

Robert  Brown  Archd.  Picken 

Peter  Ralston  Alexander  Picken,  Jr. 

John  Greenlees  James  Fleming 

Robert  Montgomery  Thomas  Ralston 

This  day,  and  according  to  appointment  of  Presbytery, 
I  preached  to  the  forming  Congregation  of  Southend,  Argyle- 
shire,  and  I  do  hereby  ceritfy  that  this  call  to  Mr.  Alexander 
Laing,  Preacher  of  the  Gospel,  to  be  their  Pastor,  written  on 
this  sheet,  was  subscribed  in  my  presence  by  the  whole  of  the 
subscribers  of  their  own  free  will  and  choice  at  Southend  this 
twenty-fifth  day  of  February,  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  ninety-nine  years. 

James  Pinkerton." 

The  first  elders  of  the  Willow  Creek  Church  were  John 
Greenlee,  Daniel  Smith  and  James  Montgomery.  The  first 
officers  for  the  year  1 845  were  Robert  Armour,  John  Andrew, 
and  Robert  Howie  (trustees),  William  Ferguson,  treasurer, 
Samual  Howie,  clerk.  It  was  decided  that  the  church  should 
be  built  of  red  brick  on  an  acre  of  land  given  by  Robert 
Howie  where  the  present  church  now  stands.  The  plan  of  the 
building  was  drawn  by  Rev.  Mr.  Walker  which  was  accepted. 
In  order  to  raise  the  money  to  pay  for  the  building,  it  was 
decided  to  sell  the  seats  at  auction  to  the  highest  bidder  on 
the  basis  of  personal  property,  those  who  purchased  seats  to 
have  the  sole  right  for  themselves  and  their  heirs  as  long  as 


56 

they  paid  the  yearly  assessment.  On  October  4,  1848,  the 
seats  were  sold  at  auction  by  John  Andrew  and  David 
Andrew. 

The  church  was  built  in  1849  and  occupied  in  1850. 
There  is  no  record  of  the  church  being  formally  dedi- 
cated. The  Rev.  Ustick  preached  before  the  building  was 
quite  finished.  He  presented  the  church  with  a  pulpit  Bible. 
The  building  stood  with  gable  ends  east  and  west.  It  had  one 
door  in  the  east  end,  six  windows,  three  on  the  north  and 
three  on  the  south,  with  the  pulpit  in  the  west  end.  It  was  a 
neat,  comfortable  and  substantial  church  for  that  early  day. 

The  Rev.  Matthew  Howie,  one  of  the  young  men  of  the 
parish  in  a  letter  to  the  anniversary  committee  at  the  time  of  the 
semi-centenial  celebration,  gave  a  description  of  the  interior  of 
the  first  church.  It  had  walnut  pews  with  doors  to  them  so 
when  all  the  family  got  in  they  latched  the  door  and  shut  out 
all  intruders.  At  the  west  end,  on  an  elevated  platform,  was 
an  inclosed  box  pulpit  also  with  doors  so  that  when  the 
preacher  got  inside  he  was  secure  against  all  inquisitive  eyes  and 
could  take  a  pinch  of  snuff  and  curl  his  hair  or  adjust  his 
white  neck-tie  without  anyone  being  the  wiser  of  it.  It  was 
painted  a  glistening  white  and  when  I  heard  the  preacher  read 
from  John's  vision  about  the  great  white  throne,  I  wondered 
if  it  looked  like  that  pulpit.  Just  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  on  a 
less  elevated  platform,  stood  the  presenter.  George  Greenlee 
led  the  singing  in  Rouse's  version  of  the  Psalms.  No.  instru- 
ment was  used,  but  he  used  a  tuning  fork  to  get  the  pitch  and 
catch  the  mysterious  spirit  of  the  hymn.  He  sometimes  took 
his  brother,  John  up  to  help  with  the  singing  and  then  the  old 
folks  would  shake  their  heads  and  say  that  young  man  was 
trying  to  introduce  some  new  f angled  notions;  it  would  be  the 
first  step  towards  a  choir.  But  when  someone  proposed  getting 
a  cabinet  organ  for  the  church,  the  air  grew  lurid  and  there 
was  thunder  and  lightning  all  around  the  sky.     I  remember 


57 

hearing  my  father,  Mathew  Howie,  Sr.,  and  John  Caldwell, 
discussing  the  subject  one  day  and  they  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  was  surely  the  "Deil"  was  putting  these  notions  into 
the  heads  of  the  young  people.  My  father  said  he  would  be 
one  of  a  committee  to  go  and  pitch  the  organ  out  into  the 
middle  of  the  road  if  it  was  ever  put  into  the  church.  My 
sister,  Martha,  told  them  that  David  used  a  harp  in  praising 
the  Lord  and  that  there  were  harps  in  heaven.  "Oh  yes," 
they  said,  "but  they  were  very  different  instruments  from  the 
Yankee  organs.'* 

The  ministers  who  followed  Rev.  Norton  were  Rev.  Mr. 
Tilestson  for  about  one  year  and  Rev.  Walker  for  three  years. 
Rev.  Ustick  came  to  the  church  in  1 850  and  continued  for  five 
years  being  the  first  regular  installed  minister.  It  was  cus- 
tomary in  the  old  church  to  hold  two  services  on  Sunday  with 
a  half  hour  interval.  In  Ian  Maclaren's  book  "Beside  the 
Bonnie  Brier  Bush"  we  read  how  the  men  in  the  parish  of 
Drumtouchty  would  meet  on  the  kirk  green  during  the  interval 
between  the  sermons  and  discuss  the  public  questions  of  the 
day.  Did  you  know  that  we  had  a  Drumtouchty  here  in 
Illinois?  During  the  interval  the  women  and  children  would 
visit  in  the  church  and  the  men  would  meet  on  the  kirk  green 
and  pass  on  public  questions  of  the  day;  the  question  of 
slavery,  the  tariff,  the  doctrine  of  election,  weather  conditions, 
crops  and  markets.  Families  who  were  separated  during  the 
week  greeted  each  other  on  the  church  green.  There  is  a 
little  of  the  Drumtouchty  spirit  left  in  the  community  yet. 
There  are  new  speakers  on  the  green  and  new  subjects  dis- 
cussed. It  is  a  new  blade  but  it  is  the  same  handle,  and  is  the 
same  old  knife  of  public  opinion  that  is  used  to  carve  public 
questions  of  the  day. 

Hearing  and  discussing  sermons  was  part  of  the  social 
life  of  the  settlement  in  the  early  days.  Perhaps  you  have 
read   of   Elseph   McFadgen   in   "The   Bonnie    Brier    Bush" 


58 

who  was  the  sermon  taster  who  was  blessed  with  a  good 
memory  and  kept  it  in  fettle  on  sermons.  There  were 
sermon  tasters  in  the  old  Willow  Creek  Church.  Any  young 
minister  who  could  run  the  gauntlet  of  their  criticisms  was 
worthy  of  any  pulpit.  If  they  introduced  a  story  in  their  ser- 
mon by  way  of  illustration,  the  comment  would  be  "It  was  gie 
thin  gruel  yon."  They  seldom  complimented  their  minister. 
Rev.  John  Montgomery,  one  of  the  young  men  of  the  parish, 
speaking  of  the  old  people  said  they  put  him  in  mind  of  a  young 
Scotch  lad  who  one  the  eve  of  his  wedding  turned  to  his  bride 
and  said,  "Maggie,  hae  I  no  treated  you  reel  ceevil,"  meaning 
that  he  had  not  kissed  her  during  their  courtship.  She  replied, 
"Aye  Sandy,  ya  hae  been  senselessly  ceevil."  When  they  did 
offer  a  compliment  to  their  minister  it  was  honest  and  sincere 
and  meant  a  great  deal. 

The  year  1 850  was  the  banner  year  of  the  settlement.  The 
first  brick  church  was  completed  and  the  community  had  a 
permanent  place  of  worship.  More  families  came  that  year 
from  Scotland  than  any  other  years.  Homes  were  located  and 
hundreds  of  acres  of  the  virgin  soil  was  broken  up.  Five  or 
six  pair  of  oxen  were  hitched  to  a  large  breaking  plow.  Some 
of  the  young  men  were  experts  at  driving  the  oxen.  They 
could  crack  a  whip  as  good  as  any  cowboy  or  eskimo  we  read 
about  in  story  books.  Some  men  made  a  business  of  breaking 
new  fields  for  the  farmers.  Dan  Kingsly,  living  on  the  north 
side  of  the  settlement,  did  a  great  deal  of  this  kind  of  work. 
It  was  not  a  new  custom  to  plow  with  oxen.  We  are  told  in 
the  Bible  that  Elisha,  the  son  of  Shapshat,  was  plowing  with 
twelve  yoke  of  oxen  when  Elijah  passed  by  and  cast  his 
mantle  upon  him. 

In  1850  a  number  of  families  left  Campbeltown  for  Green- 
ock and  Glasgow  to  take  ship  for  New  York.  The  following 
families  sailed  from  Glasgow  by  the  ship  Sarah,  commanded 
by  Captain  Tims  on  June  6,   1850:    Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert 


59 

Greenlee  and  family,  five  sons  and  fivq  daughters,  Mrs. 
William  Greenlee,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  and  Miss 
Katherine  Greenlees,  James  and  John  Kelley,  Robert  Kelley, 
and  his  sister,  Agnes,  who  later  was  Mrs.  Charles  Brown, 
Mathew  Blair,  Neil  McMichael,  David  Hogarth,  Lachey, 
Boowey,  Robert  Maxwell,  Dugal  McDugal  and  William 
Ryburn.  On  the  same  date,  June  6,  the  following  families 
sailed  from  Greenock  on  the  ship  Charlotte  Harrison  under 
Captain  Mackintyre:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Ralston  (elder), 
two  sons  and  six  daughters,  Mrs.  Martha  McDonald,  one 
son  and  two  daughters,  the  Watson  family  of  five  sons  and 
two  daughters,  Mrs.  Mitchell,  widow,  being  twice  married, 
Charles  and  Mary  Armour  of  the  first  family,  and  John  and 
Janet  Mitchell  of  the  second  family,  Duncan  McDonald  and 
William  Reid,  the  McKerrell  and  McDonald  families  who 
were  going  to  Canada.  During  the  voyage,  the  Charlotte 
Harrison  passed  through  a  severe  storm.  The  passengers  were 
ordered  down  and  the  hatches  were  closed  for  a  time.  They 
arrived  in  New  York  safely.  The  day  they  landed,  the  city 
of  New  York  was  holding  memorial  service.  The  flags  were 
at  half  mast  and  the  streets  were  lined  with  soldiers.  The 
occasion  was  the  death  of  Zachery  Taylor,  president  of  the 
United  States,  who  died  on  the  ninth  of  July,  1850,  sixteen 
months  after  his  inauguration.  This  was  an  occasion  to  be 
remembered  by  these  emigrants. 

There  was  a  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Cooper  who  had 
taken  a  large  tract  of  land  from  the  government  on  the  Kin- 
nikinnick  Creek.  After  Mr.  Cooper's  death,  Mr.  Robert 
Greenlee  bought  the  land  from  the  heirs  of  the  Cooper  estate, 
being  the  farms  now  owned  by  Thomas  Greenlee  and  James 
Greenlee  estate. 

James  and  John  Kelley,  on  coming  to  this  country,  went  to 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  they  remained  for  a  few  years.  When 
they  came  to  this  locality,  James  Kelley  located  on  a  farm  near 


60 

Caledonia.  John  Kelley  bought  a  farm  near  Poplar  Grove 
which  his  son,  Alex,  now  owns.  Neil  McMicheal  located  on 
the  George  Jeffery  farm  now  owned  by  his  son  Robert.  Wil- 
liam Ryburn  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade  and  was  in  company 
with  Alex  Cameron  in  Rockford  for  a  number  of  years.  Their 
shop  was  located  on  what  was  called  by  the  Scotch,  Cameron's 
close,  where  the  Schamuss  barns  are  now  located.  There  was 
an  open  court  where  farmers  could  leave  their  wagons  and 
horses.  It  was  headquarters  for  the  settlement  folks  when  they 
went  to  Rockford  for  that  kind  of  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Ralston,  with  their  family,  located  on  a  farm  on  the  north 
side,  being  the  farm  now  owned  by  the  George  Ralston  estate. 
The  Watson  family,  who  came  with  the  ship,  Charlotte  Har- 
rison, bought  farms  together  in  Guilford. 

About  the  year  1 858  the  population  of  the  parish  increased 
by  emigration  and  births  so  the  little  brick  church  would  not 
accommodate  the  congregation.  On  June  18,  1858,  a  meet- 
ing was  called  to  consider  the  building  of  an  addition  to  the 
brick  church.  A  committee  of  six  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  work  viz ;  John  Andrew,  David  Lament,  David 
C.  Ralston,  Charles  Picken,  Alexander  McNair  and  Edward 
Brown.  The  addition  was  a  frame  built  across  the  east  end  of 
the  brick  making  the  audience  room  in  the  form  of  the  letter 
"T."  The  pulpit  was  in  the  center  of  the  east  part,  the  pews 
facing  north,  south  and  east.  This  building  was  in  use  for 
about  twenty  years  or  to  the  time  of  the  dedication  of  the 
present  church,  which  was  on  Thursday,  February  7,  1878. 
We  are  indebted  to  Mrs.  Joseph  Barnes  for  the  following 
diagram  of  the  audience  room  of  the  old  Willow  Creek  church 
giving  the  names  of  the  pew  holders,  she  having  made  the 
diagram  shortly  before  the  building  was  torn  down. 


Chapter  VII. 
THE  SCHOOLS 
The  Log  School 

The  first  school  teacher  was  George  Lovesee  of  Roscoe. 
Following  him  were  Darwin  Blair,  James  Cochran,  Henry 
Bradily  Whipple,  Birdsall,  Dresser,  Armstrong,  T.  L.  Breck- 
enridge,  James  Giffen  and  Robert  Ralston.  There  were  no 
lady  teachers  in  the  log  school  as  far  as  is  known.  Mr.  Dresser, 
one  of  the  teachers,  was  a  married  man  and  lived  in  a  log 
house  on  the  Hugh  Reid  farm  and  taught  for  a  number  of 
terms,  being  a  very  learned  man.  He  gave  lectures  on  as- 
tronomy on  different  occasions. 

Although  the  children  of  the  early  days  had  few  books, 
they  had  good  teachers.  That  is  one  reason  why  so  many 
who  received  their  education  at  the  old  schools  were  capable 
of  holding  positions  of  trust. 

Robert  Ralston  was  born  July  12,  1802,  at  Southend, 
Argyleshire,  Scotland.  He  received  his  education  there,  being 
a  graduate  of  Edinburgh  university.  Later  he  was  in  company 
with  another  gentleman  as  ship  chandlers  in  Greenock.  He 
took  passage  from  Greenock  August  5,  1833,  in  a  sailing  ves- 
sel bound  for  Quebec,  being  forty  days  on  the  ocean.  From 
Quebec  he  went  to  Massachusetts  where  he  obtained  employ- 
ment in  a  hardware  store.  He  later  came  to  Washington 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  taught  school  before  coming  to  Illinois 
in  1 850.  While  in  Ohio,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Nancy 
Biggings.  Of  their  family  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters, 
all  were  born  in  Ohio  except  the  youngest  daughter.  They 
lived  in  a  house  on  the  Robert  Howie  farm  for  two  years 
before  going  on  their  farm.  During  this  time  Mr.  Ralston 
taught  in  the  Log  School,  Stone  School  and  McDonald  house. 
"When  we  were  at  the  Schule  my  friens 

When  we  were  at  the  schule 
And  aylsic  merry  pranks  we  played 
When  we  were  at  the  schule." 


62 

Come  with  me  once  more  to  the  old  school.  The  boys  are 
playing  shinney  on  the  green  and  the  girls  are  amusing  them- 
selves with  some  other  game.  Hear  the  shout  of  the  boys  as 
they  knock  the  ball  high  over  their  heads  to  its  final  goal.  The 
hour  has  come  and  the  school  is  called.  The  children  take 
their  places  on  the  slab  benches.  The  teacher  is  Robert 
Ralston,  a  man  who  was  capable  of  teaching  in  any  high 
school.  He  is  not  only  a  scholar,  but  a  musician,  for  he  teaches 
the  children  the  art  of  music.  The  children  together  read  a 
chapter  in  the  Bible  and  the  lessons  are  resumed  for  the  day. 
When  the  hour  for  closing  comes  the  following  roll  is  called. 
Who  today  can  answer  present;  only  a  few.  The  great  ma- 
jority have  answered  the  final  roll  call.  The  years  pass  swiftly 
by  and  we  are  borne  on  with  the  tide  of  time.  "Truly  the 
places  that  know  us  now  shall  know  us  no  more  forever.'* 

Following  is  the  schedule  of  the  common  school  kept  by 
Robert  Ralston  in  Harlem  Township,  District  No.  4,  Town- 
ship No.  45,  Range  2  east  of  the  third  principal  meridian  in 
the  county  of  Winnebago  and  state  of  Illinois,  from  Novem- 
ber 19,  1849,  to  March,  1850,  five  months. 

There  are  in  all  eighty-four  names.     Of  these,  at  this  writ- 
ing only  fourteen  are  in  life.     The  Argyle  Settlement  had  a 
consolidated  school  seventy  years  ago,  and  did  not  realize  it. 
Albannis,  James  McDonald,  William 

Andrew,  Charles  McLarty,  Alexander 

Andrew,  David  McLarty,  Elizbeth 

Andrew,  Janet  Pangburn,  Howard 

Andrew,  Mary  Pangburn,  John 

Andrew,  John  Picken,  Alexander 

Armour,  Archibald  Picken,  Archibald 

Ferguson,  Alexander  Picken,  Charles 

Ferguson,  Ellen  Picken,  Janet 

Ferguson,  James  Picken,  Martha 

GifFen,  Alexander  Ralston,  Agnes 

Giffen,  John  Ralston,  David 

GifFen,  Mary  Ann  Ralston,  Ellen 

Greenlee,  Hugh  Ralston,  Henry 

Greenlee,  Jane  Ralston,  Jane 


63 


Greenlee,  Mary 
Greenlee,  Peter 
Greenlee,  Thomas 
Greenlee,  William 
Greenlee,  William 
Harvey,  Margaret 
Harvey,  Mathew 
Harvey,  Robert 
Harvey,  Susan  J. 
Howie,  David 
Howie,  John 
Lockie,  Allison 
Lockie,  Lionel 
McDonald,  Alexander 
McDonald,  James 
McDonald,   John 


Ralston,  John 
Ralston,  John  Caldwell 
Ralston,  Mary 
Ralston,  Thomas 
Ralston,  William 
Reid,  Ellen 
Reid,  James  S. 
Reid,  Margaret 
Reid,  William  H. 
Ryburn,  William 
Sayers,  Alvira 
Smith,  Archibald 
Watson,  Edward 
Watson,  John 
Watson,  Neil 
Watson,  Robert 


McDonald,   Robert 
Additional  names  in  second  year,  April,  1 85 1  : 


Ralston,  John  B. 
Ralston,  Peter 
Ralston,  William 
Smith,  William 
Watson,  Martha 


Andrew,  Hugh 
Ferguson,  Mary  Jane 
Howie,  Mathew 
Pangburn,  Cynthia 
Pangburn,  Evelin  Amanda 
Pangburn,  Sarah  Maria 
Pupils  residing  in  other  districts : 

Allen,  Cloena  Picken,  Ellen 

Havens,  Henrietta  Picken,  George 

McDonald,  Andrew  Ralston,  Zillah 

McEachran,  George  Sayers,  Claira 
McEachran,  James 

GREGORY,  OR  STONE  SCHOOL,  LATER 
KNOWN  AS  THE  BROWN  SCHOOL 
Between  1842  and  1850,  the  population  of  the  Argyle 
Settlement  greatly  increased,  not  only  by  families  from  Scot- 
land, but  people  from  the  New  England  States  had  settled 
in  this  neighborhood.  Among  them  were  the  Bartholomews 
and  Jenkes,  from  Ohio,  and  Gregorys  and  Bathricks  from 
New  York.  Most  of  them  had  large  families,  consequently, 
the  first  log  school-house  could  not  accomodate  the  children. 
The  stone  school  house  formerly  known  as  the  Gregory 
school,  was  built  in  1 846,  on  land  given  by  James  O  Gregory, 
on  the  same  ground  as  the  Brown  school  now  occupies.     Mr. 


64 

Gregory  purchased  the  farm  from  the  government  which  now 
belongs  to  the  George  Greenlee  heirs.  No  tax  was  levied  on 
the  district  for  the  building,  funds  being  raised  by  subscription 
and  donation  from  families  who  paid  in  money,  work,  or 
material.  Those  donating  the  building  were: 
Jehial  Gregory  James  Siddal 

James  O.  Gregory  James  Reid 

Peter  Ralston  Martin  Bathrick 

John  Greenlee  J.  Harvey  Gregory 

George  Jeffery  Charles  Babcock 

Elias  Cady  Nelson  Bartholomew 

The  building  was  completed  in  1846  in  time  for  the 
winter  term.     The  first  teacher  was  Mr.  Hicoch. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  children  who  attended  his 

school : 

George  Greenlee  Mary  Ann  Siddle 

John  Greenlee  Nancy  Siddle 

Charles  Greenlee  James  Siddle 

Ellen  Greenlee  Calvin  Dart 

Joseph  Jeffery  Caleb  Dart 

Samuel  Jeffery  Ornon  Dart 

George  Jeffery  Susannah   Dart 

Friend  Bathrick  Nancy  Wyman 

Susan  Bathrick  Martha  McEachran 

Mary  Electa  Bathrick  Janette  Ralston 

Helen  Bathrick  Peter  Ralston 

Catherine  Gregory  Fernando  Crossman 

Mary  Victoria  Gregory  Alma  Crossman 

Charles  Picken  William  Crossman 

Martha  Picken  John  Whipple 
Archie  Armour 

The  second  teacher  was  Miss  Emmeline  Ensign,  who  taught 

in   the  summer  of    1847.      Teachers   following  were   James 

Lamb,    1848,  James   Benedict,    1849,   Miss  Garlick,    1849, 

Miss  Bartlett,    1850,  O.    M.   Crossman,    1851,    Mary  Jane 

Warner,   1851,  and  Robert  Ralston,   1852.     Following  Mr. 

Ralston  were  Miss  Nancy  Cole,  Miss  Mears,  Almond  Dodge, 

Joel  Jenks,  John  Greenlee,  and  James  Lamont,  who  taught 

during  the  Civil  War  in  1860-1861.     During  the  rebellion, 

there  were  a  number  of  patriotic  songs  issued  that  became 


65 
very  popular.  Among  them  were,  "Tramp,  Tramp,  Tramp, 
The  Boys  Are  Marching,"  "Just  Before  the  Battle  Mother;' 
"The  Vacant  Chair,"  "Yes,  We'll  Rally  Round  the  Flag, 
Boys."  They  would  sing  these  songs  in  school  and  in  the 
homes  to  the  delight  of  the  older  people.  There  were  a  num- 
ber of  good  singers  in  Mr.  Lamont's  school. 

The  Stone  School,  later  known  as  the  Brown  School, 
schedule  of  common  school  taught  by  Robert  Ralston. 
District  No.  1,  Township  45,  Range  2  East  of  third  principal 
meridian.  November,  December  1851,  January,  February, 
1852. 


John  Greenlee 

Ann  Greenlee 

John  Parker 

Peter  Ralston 

William  Ralston 

Ellen  Greenlee 

George  Parker 

Simeon  Tuffs 

Janet  Brown 

Edmund  Slater 

Elizabeth  Ann  Gregory 

Mary  Gregory 

Lidia  Gregory 

Susannah  Gregory 

Jane  Brown 

Elizabeth  Brown 
Pupils  from  No.  6  and  No.  2 

William  Kerr 

Rebeca  Babcock 

Warren  Babcock 

Jane  Ralston 

Emelin  Marion  Aldrich 

Jane  Hickok 

Mary  Hickok 
Pupils  from  District  No.   10: 

Archibald  Armour 

Elisabeth  Ralston 

John  R.  McDonald 

Martha  Picken 

Archie  Picken 

George  Picken 

Jane  Picken 


John  Mitchell 
Janett  Mitchell 
Lucy  Hannah  Harris 
Curtis  Bartholomew 
Phidelia  Bartholomew 
Daniel  Siddall 
James  Siddall 
Nancy  Siddall 
Harvey  Gregory 
Warren  Babcock 
Mary  V.  Gregory 
Silass  Crossman 
Ann  Helen  Ralston 
Charles  Picken 
Agnes  Ralston 


Harrice  Hickok 
Oney  A.  Harris 
James  Love 
Sylvester  Love 
Benjamin  Strachan 
William  Strachan 
Louisa  Love 

William  A.  Ralston 
James  McKechran 
George  McKechran 
John  McKechran 
Archibald   McKechran 
Zilla  Ralston 


66 


Pupils  from  District  No.  4: 

David  Ralston  Fernanda  Crossman 

Henry  Ralston  Olive  V.  Hickok 

Ellen  Ralston  Caroline  Babcock 

Martha  Brown,  Harriot  Brown — Mary  Ann  Duffy 
Twin  nieces  of  Rev.  Ustick       William  Long 

Ellen  Long 

Mcdonald  house 

Schedule  of  a  common  school  kept  by  Robert  Ralston  in 
District  No.  4,  township  45,  Range  2,  Winnebago  County, 
Illinois.     December,   1853,  January,   1854,  February,   1854. 

The  log  school-house  being  built  of  poplar  logs  did  not  last 
long  and  had  to  be  abandoned  for  school  purposes.  Owing 
to  the  death  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McDonald,  as  before  mentioned, 
the  farm  was  sold  to  William  Ferguson  and  the  McDonald 
house  was  vacant.  The  directors  of  District  No.  4  engaged 
Robert  Ralston  to  teach  school  in  the  McDonald  house  for 
a  term.  The  following  is  a  schedule  of  the  pupils  who  at- 
tended that  school: 


Margret  Gilson 
Helen  Gilson 
Eliza  Gilson 
Thomas  Kewish 
John  Henry  Kewish 
Caraline  Kewish 
William  Howie 
George  Higbee 
Mary  Jane  Ralston 
Isabella  Ralston 
William  Ralston 
Margret  Reid 
William  H.  Reid 
James  S.  Reid 
William  McDonald 
Robert  McDonald 
John  McDonald 
Helen  McLarty 
Elizabeth  McLarty 
Robert  Watson 
John  Watson 
Neil  Watson 
Edward  Watson 


John  Howie 
Andrew  McDonald 
Mary  Ann  Giffen 
Alexander  Giffen 
James  McDonald 
Alexander  McLarty 
Ellen  Picken 
Mary  Harvey 
Jonas  Randall 
Julia  Randall 
Anderson  Tofflemire 
John  Tofflemire 
Peter  Greenlee 
William  Greenlee 
Alice  Lockie 
Clocina  Allan 
Lionel  Lockie 
David  Howie 
Mathew   Howie 
David  Ralston 
Henry  Ralston 
John  B.  Ralston 
William  Smith 


67 

Martha  Watson  Jane  Smith 

James  Ferguson  George  Magoon 

Alexander  Ferguson  Wilder  Magoon 

Mary  Jane  Ferguson  Mary  Jane  Hickbee 

Alexander  Picken  Ellen  Reid 

Janet  Picken  Margret  Reid 

Hugh  Picken  John  Montgomery 

Mathew  Harvey  Mary  Ann  Gilson 

Robert  Harvey  Eliza  Gilson 

Margret  Harvey  Margret  Gilson 

Susan  Jane  Harvey  Henry  Gilson 

For  the  schedules  of  common  schools  taught  by  Robert 
Ralston,  we  are  indebted  to  Robert  Ralston,  his  son,  of 
Rockford,  Illinois,  copies  of  which  were  among  his  father's 
papers. 

THE  ENOCH  SCHOOL 
The  first  school  in  Guilford  Township  was  held  in  a  typical 
building  of  the  times,  a  log  building  twelve  by  sixteen  feet 
with  large  stone  fire-place  at  one  end.  This  building  was 
located  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  McFarland  farm,  one 
half  mile  west  of  where  the  Bell  school  now  stands.  The 
pupils  sat  on  slab  benches  facing  the  outside  of  the  room  about 
which  was  arranged  a  continous  desk.  The  school  was  taught 
by  Miss  Hanna  Herrick.  For  recitation,  the  classes  were 
called  to  the  center  of  the  room  where  they  stood  during  the 
class  period.  Among  the  families  who  attended  this  school 
were  Hunters,  Doolittles  and  Martins.  Ocotber  1 7,  1 845 
a  meeting  of  District  No.  1,  Guilford,  was  called  for  the 
purpose  of  building  a  school-house.  The  building  was  to  be 
of  red  brick,  thirty  feet  long  and  twenty  feet  wide,  one  story 
high.  It  appears  from  the  records  that  the  building  was  paid 
for  by  subscription,  the  same  as  churches  are  generally  built. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  district  the  following  resolutions  were 
adopted;  Resolved:  that  the  said  school-house  when  not  ac- 
tually occupied  by  a  school  shall  be  at  all  times  free  for  the 
inhabitants  of  the  district  to  hold  religious  meetings  of  any 
denomination  of  Christians  without  distinction ;  all  honor  to  the 


68 

men  and  women  who  laid  the  foundation  of  our  common  wealth 
to  adopt  the  above  resolution.  It  was  their  ambition  that  the 
church  and  school  should  have  the  first  place  as  community 
centers.  The  first  directors  of  the  Enoch  School  were  G.  U. 
Horton,  J.  Thomas,  and  John  T.  Enoch.  The  location  of 
the  building  was  to  be  at,  or  near  the  junction  of  the  cart 
road  from  Thomas  Lake's  and  the  road  leading  from  the  east 
county  line  to  Rockford,  being  the  present  site  of  the  Bell 
school-house. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  teachers  taken  from  the  school 
records : 

J.  R.  Colburn,   1847  Mr.  Olmstead,   1859 

H.  J.   Herrick,    1848-'49  Miss  Parker,   1860 

Mr.  Miller,   1850  Mr.  Gusherie,   1861 

Miss  Lucy  Danly,  1 85  1  Miss  Ema  L  Noble,  1  862 

Miss  Sarah  Hunter,   1852  E.  A.  Wanless,   1863 

Miss  Maria  Andrew,   1852  Elvira  Gilson,  1863 

C.  W.  Sheldon,  1852  James  Ferguson,   1864 

Charlotte  Burch,  1  852  Miss  Adelia  Sweezy,   1  864 

M.  P.  Loury,  1853  Siom  H.  Kimball,   1865 

Mrs.  Baldwin,   1854  Alfrid  Martin,   1866 

Charles  Manning,    1855  E.  G.  Valentine,  1866 

Mary  Brisban,   1855  Miss  Mary  Enoch,  1867 

Joseph  B.  Alcott,  1856  Amanda  McCarther,   1868 

T.  G.  Ensign,   1857  Ellen  Kirk,    1869 

Margaret  Breckenridge,   1858        Amasa  Hutchions,   1869 

The  Bell  School  was  built  in  1869  and  1870.  The  dimen- 
sions of  the  building  are  forty  feet  long  by  twenty-six  feet 
wide  with  seating  capacity  for  seventy  scholars.  Not  drawing 
comparisons  between  the  Enoch  School  and  other  schools  of 
the  county,  but  note  the  young  men  who  rose  to  places  of 
trust  in  the  community.  David  Hunter  was  sent  three  succes- 
sive terms  to  the  State  Legislature  and  was  Senator  from  this 
district.  Abraham  Enoch  of  Briggs  Enoch  Manufacturing 
Company,  Amasa  Hutchens,  Mayor  of  Rockford,  Archibald 
Andrew,  county  superintendent  of  public  schools  of  Winne- 
bago County,  James  Lamont,  editor  of  the  Monitor,  a  Rock- 
ford paper  of  that  day,  Thomas  and  Hugh  Lamont,  ministers 


69 

in  the  Presbyterian  church,  Hiram  Enoch,  editor  and  publisher 
of  one  of  Rockford's  newspapers,  Mathew  Andrew,  professor 
in  high  school,  Homer  Wheeler  and  John  Andrew,  successful 
business  men  in  Rockford,  the  Gorham  boys  who  afterwards 
became  famous  in  connection  with  the  grain  seeder  and  self 
grain  binder,  and  Miss  Sarah  Hunter,  who  was  a  teacher  in 
the  public  schools  and  later  one  of  the  earliest  lady  physicians 
in  the  state. 

In  the  winter  of  1859,  Mr.  Olmstead  taught  in  the 
Enoch  School  and  J.  W.  Boomaur  taught  in  West  Lane 
School.  Spelling  schools  were  in  vogue  at  that  time.  The 
Enoch  School  came  one  evening  with  a  four  horse  team  and 
sleigh  load  for  the  purpose  of  spelling  down  the  West  Lane 
School.  They  were  better  scholars  than  West  Lane  pupils, 
but  our  teacher  was  what  one  would  call  nowadays  "A 
bluffer."  He  told  the  teacher  of  the  Enoch  School  that  he 
would  put  one  of  his  school  against  their  whole  school  and 
scared  them  out  so  they  did  not  try  to  spell  down  that  night. 
On  the  south  side  of  the  settlement,  Miss  Marcia  Louise  Cline, 
who  later  was  Mrs.  Tunure,  taught  a  private  school  of  seven- 
teen scholars.  James  Montgomery  and  his  sister,  Marion, 
who  later  was  Mrs.  Robert  Greenlee,  attended  this  school, 
also  the  Martins  and  Toffelmires.  The  first  public  school  in 
the  district  was  built  in  1853.  It  was  a  grout  building  located 
at  the  corner  of  the  Davis  Watson  farm.  The  building  was 
erected  by  J.  M.  Linnel,  Mr.  Cline,  Mr.  Ticknor,  P.  G. 
Weldin,  and  Jonathan  Haywood.  Miss  Marcia  Louise  Cline 
taught  this  school  for  some  time.  It  is  now  known  as  the 
White  Pigeon  School  on  Beaver  Creek. 

WEST  LANE  SCHOOL 

It  appears  from  the  old  school  records  that  when  the  Stone 

School  was  built  in  1 846  that  district  was  set  off  from  District 

No.  4,  that  being  the  log  school  which  contained  West  Lane, 

Eagle,  and  Argyle  Districts.     The  McDonald  house,  where 


70 

school  was  kept  by  Robert  Ralston  in  1853-1854  was  torn 
down.  A  meeting  of  the  district  was  held  October  7,  1854 
for  the  purpose  of  having  the  district  divided  into  two  districts, 
four  and  twelve.  District  No.  4  took  action  toward  building 
a  school-house.  The  directors  obtained  one  eight  of  an  acre 
from  James  Picken  for  a  site.  During  the  time  the  West 
Lane  School  was  being  built,  the  directors  hired  Andrew 
Giffen  to  teach  four  months  on  the  following  terms:  teacher 
to  furnish  a  room  in  his  own  house,  also  fire  wood  and  to  board 
himself,  for  which  he  was  to  receive  twenty-nine  dollars  per 
month.  The  school-house  was  built  by  Jabez  Love  and  was 
to  receive  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  his  work.  Fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  teachers: 


Andrew  Giffen,   1855 
Mary  Hunter,   1856 
Donald  Fleming,   1856 
Sarah  Knox,    1857 
Josephene  Goodhue,    1858 
J.  W.  Boomhour,   1859 
Anna  Bartholomew,   1859 
Susan  C.  Gregory,  1 860 
Mary  Ann  Giffen,    1861 
Samuel  Dodge,    1861 
A.  J.  Cook,  1862 
Loretta  Woster,    1863 
John  Watterson,  1 863 
Harriet  Atwood,  1 864 
Ann  Eliza  Bates,    1865 
Laura  Rodes,  1866 
Harriett  M'abie,   1866 
John  C  Grant,   1867 
Julia  P.  Homes,   1867 
Malcom  Bruner,  1868 
Harriet  H.  Wheldon,  1869 
R.  J.  Bears,    1869 
Sarah  Bears,    1870 
Delia  Crites,    1871 
Frank  Vincent,    1872 
Mary  E.  Meach,  1872 
Dillie  Chapman,    1873 
H.  V.  Vanpelt,   1874 
Charles  W.  Walrath,  1875 


Miss  Black,  1 884 

H.J.  Spawn,  1884-'85 

Miss  Sill,  1885 

Miss  McDonald,  1886 

Miss  Edith  M.  Young,  1887 

Miss  Kelley,    1888 

Alvin  Wilcox,   1889 

Miss  Frost,   1890 

Frank  A.  Carpenter,  1890 

Miss  Hattie  Warner,  1891 -'92 

Hugh  McEachran,    1893 

Miss    Margret    Greenlee,     1894- 

'95-'96 
Miss  Nettie  Alexander,  1897 
Miss  Lottie  Pratt,  1897 
Miss  Rena  Hardy,    1893 
Miss  Blanch  Elliot,  1899 
Mrs.  L.  B.  Kelling,  1899 
Miss  Rena  Hardy,  1900 
Miss  Myrtle  Canary,   1901 
Mrs.   N.  Thompson,    1902 
Miss  Maggie  Mitchell,    1902 
Miss  Edith  Elberts,   1903 
Miss  Josephine  Swanson,  1903 
Miss  Blanche  Smith,   1904-'05 
Miss  Edith  Hyatt,  1906-'07 
Miss  Pauline  Pearson,    1908-'09 
Miss  Martha  Andrew,   1910 
Miss  Margret  Greenlee,    1911    to 


71 

Margret   McAffee,    1876  1920 

Miss  Laura  Ely,  1877  Miss  Dorothy  Andrew,   1920-72 

Miss  Lizzie  Shaw,    1878-'79-*80  Miss  Hazel  Colville,   1921-72 

Miss  Jennie  Blair,    1881  Miss     Florence     Colville,      1922- 
Miss  Jane  Montgomery,  1882-'83  '23-'24 

In  1 846  a  vote  of  the  district  was  taken  to  move  the  school- 
house  one  half  mile  further  west  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
James  Picken's  farm,  where  it  now  stands. 
THE  WYMAN  SCHOOL 

On  the  north  side  of  the  Scotch  Settlement,  the  Wyman 
Brothers  had  taken  up  a  tract  of  land  from  the  government. 
Their  names  were  Samuel,  Charles,  and  Alford.  Samuel 
Wyman  was  a  bachelor  and  owned  the  western  eighty  acres 
now  owned  by  William  D.  Ralston.  The  school-house  was 
built  on  the  southeast  corner  of  his  farm  and  was  called  the 
Wyman  School.  Charles  Wyman  owned  the  J.  B.  Mc- 
Eachran  farm  and  Alford  Wyman  owned  the  Thomas  Brown 
farm  now  owned  by  C.  T.  Brown.  In  an  early  day  there  was 
a  school  kept  in  an  old  log  cabin  on  this  farm  which  was  the 
beginning  of  the  Wyman  School.  The  old  records  have  been 
lost  but  as  near  as  can  be  ascertained  the  stone  building  which 
still  stands  was  built  by  Cornwell  brothers  the  same  season  as 
they  built  the  Stone  Manse  at  the  Willow  Creek  Church  in 
1859  which  was  during  Reverend  Thomas  G.  Smith's 
pastorate. 

THE  CUMMINGS  SCHOOL 

The  Cummings  School  District  was  not  in  the  original  sur- 
vey of  school  districts  but  was  formed  by  taking  part  of  the 
Wyman  and  part  of  Caledonia  Districts.  The  school-house 
was  built  on  land  taken  from  the  Angus  Cumming's  farm  on 
the  East  Lane.  The  building  was  erected  in  1 860  and  school 
commenced  in  May,  1861.  Following  is  a  list  of  the 
teachers : 

Miss  Susan  C.  Gregory,   1861  Miss  Grace  Clarkson,    1896 

James  Ward,    1861  Miss     Grace     Edgerton,      1897- 

Miss  Ann  Elisabeth  Bates,    1  862  '98-'99 


72 


James  Lamont,   1862 

Mrs.  Susan  C.  Watterson,  1 863 

William  Kerr,   1863 

Mrs,  Carie  H.  Lymon,    1864 

Miss  Laura  Rhodes,    1865 

Miss  Adelia  E.  Budd,  1866-'67 

Richard  M.  Andrews,  1866 

William  Kerr,   1867 

Miss  Hattie  E.  Smith,  1 868 

Miss  Mary  Lovejoy,   1869 

Robert  R.  Breckenridge,   1 869 

Miss  Sara  E.  Weston,   1870 

Miron  Brunner,   1870 

Miss  Jenny  Irusell,    1871 

William  Wilson,    1871 

Miss  Anna  Lundy,   1872-73 

George  Lovering,   1872 

Miss  Emma  J.  Blake,   1874 

Miss  Mary  Ralston,    1875 

Miss  Kate  Fatheringham,    1876 

Miss  Adellia  Cornwell,   1879 

Miss  Mary  J.  Kelley,   1 880 

Miss  Julia  Chandler,   1881 

Miss  Mary   Smith,    1883 

Miss  May  Frast,    1892-'93 

Miss  Katie  McEachran,    1894 

Miss  Gertrude  E.  Burkman,  1  895 


Miss  Gertrude  E.  Burkman,  !  899 
Claud  Warren,    1900 
Miss  Maggie  Chamberlin,    1900 
Miss   Mae   Edgerton,    1901 
Miss,  Sara  E.  Weston,   1902 
Miss  Ruby  M.  Allen,   1903 
Miss  Jessie  Thompson,    1903 
Miss  Belle  Newton,    1904 
Miss  Maud  Cummings,   1904 
M.  M.  Martin,  1904 
John  McGonigal,    1905 
Miss  Lena  Griffith,   1906-,07-'08 
Miss  Catherine  McCarthy,    1909- 

'11 
Miss  Maud  Cummings,   1910 
Miss  Bessie  Ralston,   1 9 1 2-'  1  3 
Miss  Ethel  Dodge,  1914-'!  5 
Miss  Margrete  Brown,    19  16-' 17 
Miss  Rachel  Foltz,   191  7-' 18 
Miss     Irene    Wilson,     191 8-' 19, 

one  month 
Miss    Agnes    Rislow,     191 8-' 19, 

one  month 
W.   R.   Bosard — one  month 
Miss  Golda  Brown — four  months 
Miss  Dorothy  Andrew,   19  3  9-70 


In  May  of  the  year  1920  the  election  was  held  to  con- 
solidate. No  school  has  been  held  in  the  district  since  June, 
1920. 

ARGYLE  SCHOOL 

The  village  school  at  Argyle  was  built  in  1870.  The 
district  was  formed  by  taking  part  of  West  Lane  and  Eagle 
Districts.  The  village  being  located  on  the  Boone  County 
line,  it  was  difficult  to  form  a  large  district.  The  district 
draws  a  large  railway  tax  and  have  a  number  of  tuition  pupils 
from  Boone  County.  In  this  way  they  maintain  a  good  school. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  teachers: 

S.  Weston,    1871  Miss  Amie  Morgan,    1891 

Miss  Belle  Chapman,  1872  E.   V.    Foster,    1892-'93-'94 

Miss  Dillie  E.  Chapman,   1 873  Miss  Leata  Adee,   1 895 

Miss  Laura  Blair,   1 874  C.  E.  Alexander,  1 896 

Miss  Anna  Lundy,  1874  Miss  Daisy  Dean,   1897 


73 

M.  M.  Martin,   1875-77  Miss  Azalin  Silvernail,    l898-'99 

Miss  L.  Jinks,    1876  Guilford  Wiley,    1900 

Miss  Mary  M.  Smith,   1877  Miss  Amelia  D.  Irving,   1901 

Miss  Lucy  Turnure,    1878-79  Miss  Ada  Titus,   1902 

Ben  E.  S.  Ely,   1880  M'.  M.  Martin,   1903 

Miss  Adela  L.  Andrew,   1880  James  G.  Watts,   1904 

Miss     Mary     A.     Price,      1881-      Miss  Grace  R.  Young,  1 905 

'82-'83  Miss  Erma  J.  Taylor,   1905-'06 

Miss       Margaret       Montgomery,       Miss  Ella  A.  Barmore,   1907 

1884  Miss  Pearl  Emery,  1907-'08 

Miss  Mary  Glenn,  1885  Miss  Julia  Nye,   1909 

Miss  Martha  Gratton,   1 886  Miss    Ruth    Andrew,     1 9 1  0-'  1  1  - 

Miss  Jennie  Hubbell,  1887  '  1 2-'  1  3 

E.  Worchester,   1 888  Miss  Murul  Vernon,  1 9 1 4-'  1  5 

Miss  Edith  M.   Young,    1888  Miss  Mary  G.  Harvey,  191  6-*  17 

Wilson  Allaben,  1889  Miss  Agnes  Colville,   191  8-' 19 

Miss  Lula  McDonell,    1890 

The  teachers  following  Miss  Colville  were:  Miss  Florence 
Bennet,  1920-21,  Miss  Jane  Jackson,  1921-22,  and  Miss 
Agnes  Rislow,  Sept.,  October  and  November,  1922.  When 
the  old  building  was  abandoned  to  enter  the  new  one. 

The  history  of  the  consolidated  school  in  brief  is  as  fol- 
lows :  July  18,  1 92 1  — Election,  voting  on  proposition  whether 
or  not  to  consolidate  Argle  No.  (53),  Brown  (50),  and 
Red  Oak  (28)  Districts.  Election  held  in  Argyle  Hall. 
Result  of  election:  Men's  vote:  36  "for",  4  "against"; 
Women's  vote:   19  "for"  unanimous. 

August  20,  1 92 1  :  Election  of  Board  members.  Matthew 
Andrew,  President,  one  year;  Edward  Ralston  and  Ray 
Ralston,  members,  one  year;  Wm.  McDonald  and  Edgar  W. 
Smith,  members,  two  years;  E.  B.  Reid  and  Howard  Rogers, 
members,  three  years.  Of  this  Board,  Edgar  W.  Smith  was 
elected  Secretary.  The  same  Board  is  still  intact,  and  the 
same  officers  still  hold  their  respective  positions. 

February  25,  1922:  An  election  was  held  to  authorize  the 
Board  to  bond  the  district  in  the  amount  of  $17,000,  buy  a 
site  and  build  a  school  house.  Forty-eight  votes  were  cast, 
and  it  was  practically  an  unanimous  election  on  all  old  propo- 
sitions. 


74 

The  building  was  constructed  in  the  summer  and  fall  of 
1922,  dedicated  on  Friday  evening,  December  1,  1922,  and 
formally  entered  for  school  purposes  on  Tuesday,  December 
5,  1922.     Cost  of  building  approximately  $21,000. 

The  teachers  were  1922-1923 :  Miss  Agnes  Rislow,  Princi- 
pal, and  upper  grades;  1923-24,  Miss  Agnes  Rislow,  as 
above,  and  Miss  Edith  Ralston,  lower  grades. 

The  program  for  the  Dedicatory  service  consisted  of  a 
main  address  by  Judge  R.  K.  Welsh;  Remarks  by  County 
Superintendent,  Abbie  Jewett  Craig;  also,  by  Edgar  W. 
Smith  representing  the  Board  of  Education,  and  Readings 
by  Attorney  A.  V.  Essington.  Music  was  also  furnished  by 
a  four-piece  orchestra  and  a  male  quartet. 

Chapter  VIII 
MORE  FAMILIES  FROM  THE  HOME-LAND 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Ralston,  of  Guilford,  left  in  1837. 
After  arriving  at  New  York,  they  came  to  Massachusetts 
where  Margaret  was  born,  who  later  was  Mrs.  Thomas 
Brown.  They  remained  there  two  years  then  came  to  Wheel- 
ing, Ohio.  Later  they  came  to  Cincinnati,  before  going  to 
Illinois  in  1855.  After  leaving  Scotland,  Thomas  and 
Charles  Brown  located  at  Cincinnati,  before  coming  to  Illinois 
in  1856.  Charles  Brown  brought  a  string  of  sleigh  bells 
with  him  from  Cincinnati,  being  the  first  in  use  in  the  settle- 
ment. It  was  the  law  in  that  city  that  they  use  bells  on  their 
horses  during  the  sleighing  season.  Mr.  Brown  put  the  bells 
on  the  horses  one  Sunday  morning  and  came  to  church.  One 
of  the  good  fathers  shook  his  head  and  said,  "It  was  a  solemn 
mockery."  This  remark  may  have  reference  to  Zech.  14:20. 
Peter  Ralston  and  family  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters 
crossed  the  ocean  in  the  ship,  the  Gleaner,  in  1842,  coming 
to  Marietta,  a  suburb  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  They  remained 
there  for  eight  years  before  coming  to  Illinois  in  1850. 
Alexander,  one  of  the  sons,  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and 


75 

worked  for  Cyrus  McCormick,  the  reaper  manufacturer,  who 
had  a  factory  in  Cincinnati,  before  he  located  in  Chicago.  Mr. 
Ralston  called  on  Mr.  McCormick,  while  in  Chicago,  and  he 
remembered  him.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Lamont  and  family, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watterson  and  family,  on  leaving  Scot- 
land at  an  early  date,  settled  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Later 
they  came  to  this  locality  in  1 854.  The  Lamont  family  owned 
a  farm  in  Guilford  near  the  Bell  School.  Mr.  Lamont  was 
an  elder  and  a  chorister  in  the  Willow  Creek  Church  for  a 
number  of  years.  John  Watterson  was  a  tailor  to  trade  and 
had  a  shop  at  Oxford,  Ohio.  Mr.  Watterson  made  clothing 
for  the  professors  and  students  of  Oxford  College. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Breckenridge  and  family  left  Scot- 
land in  the  month  of  August,  1 854.  They  were  among  the  first 
to  cross  the  ocean  in  a  steam-ship,  making  the  voyage  in  thirteen 
days.  It  was  considered  a  fast  run  for  that  time.  Mr.  Brecken- 
ridge owned  a  farm  in  Guilford  Township  near  the  Bell 
School.  There  were  a  number  of  Kintyre  farmers  who  came 
later:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew  Montgomery,  1861  ;  Alex- 
ander McPhail,  1866;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Mitchell. 
There  were  others  who  located  near  Winnebago  and  Rock- 
ford:  the  Smiths,  Kelleys,  McGeachies,  Hunters,  Nicholson, 
McDugals,  Langwills,  McLarens,  Flemings,  McGonigals, 
Hills,  McNairs,  Templetons,  Armours,  Brislens,  Harveys, 
Falconers,  Kerrs,  McColloughs  and  Mclntyres. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  settlement  were  a  number  of  Scotch 
families  who  were  not  from  Argyleshire,  but  came  from  other 
parts  of  Scotland:  the  Henderson  family,  who  lived  on  the 
Jabez  Love  farm,  the  Kerr  family  on  the  next  farm  east,  and 
the  Richies,  who  lived  on  the  Kinnikinnick  Creek.  There  was 
a  school  organized  in  the  log  house  on  the  Kerr  farm.  This 
building  was  used  in  the  summer  months.  In  the  winter,  the 
school  was  held  in  a  room  over  the  kitchen  in  the  Kerr  home. 
To  this  school  came  the  Siddals,  Whipples,  Kerrs,  and  Hen- 


76 

dersons.  Hon.  David  B.  Henderson,  who  was  speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  during  the  McKinley  administration, 
was  a  member  of  this  school.  He  was  known  among  his 
fellows  as  an  inveterate  reader  and  possessed  a  great  memory. 
It  does  not  make  so  much  difference  what  school  a  boy  may 
attend,  much  depends  on  the  boy  whether  he  will  make  good 
or  not. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  McEachran  left  Scotland  in  1854 
in  a  sailing  vessel  for  Quebec.  They  were  six  weeks  on  the 
voyage.  From  Quebec  they  went  to  Chatam,  Canada,  where 
J.  B.  McEachran  was  born.  They  remained  there  for  four 
years,  before  coming  to  the  Argyle  Settlement.  Mr.  Mc- 
Eachran followed  his  calling  of  contractor  and  carpenter  and 
built  a  large  number  of  houses  and  barns  for  the  people  of  the 
community.  Their  home  was  near  the  village  of  Argyle  with 
land  adjoining.  This  place  was  first  owned  by  Amos  Brooks. 
At  that  time  there  was  a  stage  coach  route  between  Chicago, 
Elgin,  Belvidere,  Beloit  and  Janesville.  The  Brook's  house 
was  used  for  a  tavern.  The  sign  was  a  deer's  head  and  it  was 
called  "The  Buck  Horn  Tavern.'*  The  place  was  sold  to 
Jessie  Allen,  who  later  sold  it  to  Mr.  McEachran,  now  owned 
by  Peter  Stevenson. 

Mrs.  Marion  Picken,  widow,  left  Scotland  in  1847  with 
her  young  family  of  two  sons,  James  and  John,  two  daughters, 
Margaret  and  Marion.  They  lived  on  the  Randall  farm  now 
owned  by  the  Donald  Sillars,  Est.  for  one  year  before  locating 
on  their  farm  on  West  Lane.  Her  daughter,  Marion,  died 
when  she  was  nineteen  years  old.  John  Picken  bought  the 
Jessie  Allen  farm  on  West  Lane  where  his  son  David  now 
lives.  Margaret  Picken  was  united  in  marriage  to  James 
Greenlee  on  New  Year's  day,  January  1,  1857.  They  cele- 
brated their  Golden  Wedding,  January  1 ,  1 907. 

Robert  and  John  Thompson,  who  were  twin  brothers,  and 
their  sister,  Helen,  who  was  later  Mrs.  McCulloch,  left  Scot- 


11 

land  in  1853.  They  crossed  the  ocean  on  the  Charlotte  Har- 
rison and  stayed  one  year  in  Ohio  before  coming  to  Illinois 
settling  on  a  farm  north  of  Caledonia.  John  Thompson,  when 
a  lad,  was  servant  with  Rev.  Alexander  Ling,  M.  A.  minister, 
of  the  Southend  Church.  Mr.  Thompson  had  a  literary  turn 
of  mind  and  was  correspondent  for  the  Rockford  Register 
Gazette  for  a  number  of  years.  He  owned  the  farm  near 
Caledonia  which  his  son,  John  W.,  now  owns.  Their  mother 
and  the  rest  of  the  family,  two  sons,  and  three  daughters, 
came  a  year  later,  coming  direct  to  Illinois.  They  crossed  the 
ocean  on  a  sailing  vessel  called  the  Albena.  Archie  Thomp- 
son, one  of  the  sons,  had  a  fancy  for  boats  and  the  sea.  While 
crossing  the  ocean,  the  captain  would  let  him  take  the  wheel 
and  steer  the  ship  when  the  ocean  was  calm. 

Although  the  Armours  and  John  Greenlee  and  family  were 
the  first  to  leave  Kintyre,  Scotland,  and  settle  in  Illinois, 
Alexander  Brown  and  Edward  Brown  left  Scotland  in  1 834, 
being  two  years  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  Greenlee  family, 
but  they  settled  near  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Alexander  Brown 
married  Edward  Brown's  sister,  Margaret,  on  June  19,  1834 
and  came  to  America.  In  September  of  the  same  year 
Edward  Brown,  with  his  father  and  mother  and  younger 
members  of  the  family,  sailed  for  America.  While  on  the 
ocean,  near  New  York,  his  father,  William  Brown,  died  the 
third  of  September.  A  sister  also  died.  They  were  buried 
at  New  York  for  the  time  being,  but  were  later  brought  to 
Cincinnati.  At  this  time  Mr.  Brown  was  only  twenty-three 
years  old  and  had  to  take  charge  of  his  mother  and  younger 
members  of  the  family.  Mr.  Brown  married  and  lived  in 
Ohio  for  seventeen  years  where  four  of  their  daughters  were 
born.  They  came  to  Illinois  in  1 85 1 .  Their  journey  from 
Ohio  to  Illinois  must  have  been  novel  and  interesting.  They, 
with  their  young  family,  took  passage  in  river  boat  having 
with  them  their  horses,  wagon,  and  other  baggage.    They  came 


78 

down  the  Ohio  River  to  the  Mississippi,  then  up  the  Mississippi 
as  far  as  Savanna,  where  they  landed.  Taking  their  horses 
and  covered  wagon,  they  came  across  the  prairie  to  the  Argyle 
Settlement,  arriving  at  the  home  of  John  Andrew.  The  cov- 
ered wagon  of  the  pioneer  days  was  called  the  "prairie 
schooner."  After  a  time  Mr.  Brown  bought  the  Jeihal  Greg- 
ory farm  which  was  partly  improved,  being  the  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son  William  Brown. 

Robert  Colville  emigrated  with  his  parents  from  Scotland 
in  1 842  and  settled  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  where  they  rented  land 
for  a  number  of  years.  Later  the  family  moved  to  Cincinnati. 
Mr.  Colville  married  Agnes  McKay,  who  had  come  over  in 
the  ship,  Gleaner,  in  1842.  They  came  to  the  settlement  in 
1852  and  lived  on  their  farm  until  1897,  when  they  retired  to 
Rockford. 

James  Reid,  who  was  a  brother  of  Hugh  and  Alexander 
Reid,  came  with  his  family  in  May,  1858.  They  had  quite 
an  experience  on  their  journey.  They  took  passage  on  the 
steam-ship,  New  York,  from  Glasgow  to  New  York.  The 
first  night  out  in  a  dense  fog  the  ship  went  on  the  rocks  at  the 
Mull  of  Kintyre  on  the  south  coast  of  Scotland.  By  means 
of  ropes,  all  the  passengers  were  saved.  They  walked  across 
the  hills  to  their  old  home  again.  They  were  not  discouraged 
and  tried  once  more.  In  mid  ocean  their  ship  was  struck  by 
another  ship,  doing  some  damage.  They  finally  reached  New 
York  safely.  Mr.  Reid  was  a  tailor  to  trade.  He  was  the 
first  janitor  of  the  Willow  Creek  Church. 

Mathew  McMillan  left  Argyleshire  in  1852  and  came 
to  Ohio  remaining  there  a  few  years  before  coming  to  Illinois. 
He  owned  the  farm  near  Caledonia  where  his  sons  now  live. 
He  was  a  Highlander  and  could  speak  the  Gaelic  language. 
It  was  his  custom  to  give  grace  at  his  own  table  in  the  Gaelic 
language.  It  is  said  that  the  Gaelic  language  is  more  impressive 
when  used  in  worship  and  contains  more  words  that  express 


79 

love  and  adoration  than  are  to  be  found  in  the  English 
language. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Watson  and  family  of  four  sons 
and  two  daughters  came  to  Illinois  in  1 847  coming  in  the  same 
ship  as  Mrs.  Marion  Picken.  Shortly  after  coming  here,  Mr. 
Watson  was  taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever  and  died  at  the 
home  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Smith,  leaving  the  widow  with  the 
young  family. 

James  and  Hugh  Brown  left  Scotland  in  1854  coming 
direct  to  Illinois,  taking  up  land  in  Guilford  Township.  Ac- 
companying them  to  this  country  was  Miss  Agnes  Hamilton, 
who  later  was  married  to  David  Brown,  a  half  brother  of 
James  and  Hugh. 

Mathew  Ralston  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1843.  After 
the  death  of  his  father  and  mother,  the  family  emigrated  to 
Australia  in  1864.  They  took  passage  in  a  ship  called 
Southern  Ocean,  under  Captain  Craige.  They  were  ninety 
days  on  the  voyage.  Mr.  Ralston  remained  in  Australia  for 
over  three  years.  He  returned  to  Scotland  with  the  ship, 
Essex,  commanded  by  Captain  Evens.  They  were  ninety 
days  on  the  return  voyage.  In  1868  he  married  Miss  Janet 
Lightbody  and  came  to  Illinois.  They  lived  for  a  number  of 
years  on  the  David  Picken  farm  on  West  Lane  before  going 
on  their  own  farm  in  Guilford. 

Archie  Smith  left  Argyleshire  in  April,  1856,  going  to 
Australia  where  he  stayed  for  three  years.  He  came  back  to 
Scotland  and  spent  the  winter  before  coming  to  Illinois  in  the 
summer  of  1860.  Mr.  Smith  bought  eighty  acres  of  land 
known  as  the  Bridgeland  farm,  south  of  Winnebago,  near 
Middle  Creek  Church.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Martha 
Greenlee,  June  19,  1865.  In  the  spring  of  1869  they  moved 
to  the  William  Ferguson  farm  in  the  settlement,  being  the 
farm  now  owned  by  his  son,  Hugh  Smith. 

Charles  and  Peter  Ralston,  who  were  sons  of  Elder  Peter 


80 

Ralston  who  owned  the  farm  on  West  Lane  formerly  owned 
by  J.  R.  McDonald,  emigrated  to  California  in  the  spring  of 
1864.  On  leaving  the  settlement,  they  went  to  New  York 
and  took  passage  on  a  boat  for  Panama  to  sail  on  the  fourth 
of  May,  1864.  They  were  ten  days  in  going  from  New 
York  to  Panama.  They  crossed  the  Isthmus  by  rail,  there 
being  a  railway  across  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  at  that  time. 
From  there  they  took  ship  to  San  Francisco,  arriving  on  June 
6,  1864.  They  remained  during  the  summer  then  went  to 
Oregon.  Later  they  came  to  Kansas  where  they  bought  a 
farm  four  miles  from  Lawrence.  Charles  Ralston  married, 
and  the  brothers  lived  together  for  a  number  of  years.  The 
later  years  of  Charles'  life  were  devoted  to  earnest  Christian 
work.  When  a  child  he  was  baptised  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  In  later  years  he  united  with  the  Baptist  Church 
and  was  immersed  believing  that  to  be  the  true  rite  of  Baptism. 
He  died  some  years  ago.  He  had  one  son,  Ernest  Ralston, 
who  is  on  his  father's  farm.  Peter  Ralston  never  married  and 
lived  with  his  nephew  until  his  death  which  was  in  the  month 
of  March,  1916. 

Caldwell  Ralston,  who  was  a  son  of  Alexander  Ralston, 
lived  on  a  farm  on  West  Lane  now  owned  by  James  Greenlee. 
Owing  to  some  misunderstanding  with  his  father,  he  left  home 
without  telling  anyone  of  his  intentions.  Years  passed  by 
without  any  word  from  him  of  where  he  was  located.  It 
was  the  cause  of  a  great  deal  of  grief  and  anxiety  to  his  only 
sister,  Mary,  who  missed  him  more  than  any  one  else.  After 
a  lapse  of  thirty  years,  being  in  Chicago,  he  came  to  Roscoe 
coming  to  the  old  homestead  on  West  Lane.  He  found  the 
house  empty  as  his  father  had  gone  to  Rockford  to  live.  He 
called  on  his  uncle,  D.  C.  Ralston,  but  they  did  not  know  him, 
as  thirty  years  had  made  a  great  change  in  his  appearance  and 
he  did  not  make  himself  known.  He  called  at  a  few  of  the 
neighbors,  visited  the  church  and  Scottish  cemetery,  and  went 


81 

to  Caledonia  intending  to  take  the  train  for  Chicago.  It 
happened  that  day  that  there  was  a  wreck  on  the  North 
Western  line  and  there  was  no  train  leaving  that  afternoon  for 
Chicago.  He  stayed  at  the  Chamberlain  Hotel  for  a  while 
and  got  into  conversation  with  Mrs.  Chamberlain.  He  was 
not  aware  that  she  knew  of  his  father's  family.  He  inquired 
about  Mary  Ralston.  She  told  him  that  Mary  was  dead. 
Before  he  thought,  he  said,  "Is  my  sister  really  dead."  She 
knew  at  once  that  he  must  be  Caldwell  Ralston  who  had  gone 
away  so  long  ago.  She  called  his  cousins,  John  C.  and 
James  R.  Ralston.  After  a  short  conversation  with  them, 
he  acknowledged  that  he  was  Caldwell  Ralston.  Truth  is 
sometimes  stranger  than  fiction.  Owing  to  business  appoint- 
ments, he  could  not  stay  longer  at  that  time  and  returned  to 
Chicago.  After  a  time  he  came  back  and  visited  his  father, 
uncles,  cousins,  and  old  school  mates.  He  had  been  through 
the  Civil  War,  after  which  he  married  and  settled  in  St.  Louis 
as  a  contractor  and  builder.  He  had  two  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter. His  wife  and  daughter  visited  relatives  here  later.  He 
died  a  few  years  ago.  His  daughter,  Bessie,  married  a  Mr. 
Gunn  and  went  to  Errun,  Huston  County,  Tennessee,  to  live. 
His  two  sons,  at  this  writing,  are  in  business  at  St.  Louis. 

John  Caldwell,  when  a  young  man  in  Scotland,  studied 
for  the  ministry,  but  having  the  misfortune  of  being  deaf  he 
had  to  abandon  his  studies.  Although  not  a  graduate  of  the 
schools  and  not  ordained,  yet  he  was  truly  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel.  Few  men  had  the  natural  gifts  and  ability  to  ex- 
pound the  word  of  God  that  he  possessed.  In  the  absence  of 
a  regular  minister,  he  would  take  their  place.  When  it  was 
known  that  he  was  to  address  the  meeting,  old  and  young 
would  come  to  hear  him.  His  lectures  on  the  revelations  of 
St.  John  were  very  interesting.  He  always  took  charge  of 
the  cottage  prayer  meetings  in  his  neighborhood.  To  the 
young  people  he  was  the  story  teller.     He  would  take  them  on 


82 

his  knee  and  tell  them  some  story  of  the  Covenanters,  the 
Crusaders,  or  some  Bible  story.  To  the  older  people  he  was 
a  Bible  student,  a  philosopher,  and  a  theologian. 

The  Reverend  John  E.  Montgomery  paid  him  the  following 
tribute  while  speaking  of  the  old  people  of  the  church.  "There 
was  Uncle  John  Caldwell,  whose  name  I  have  the  honor  to 
bear.  You  cannot  speak  of  him  too  highly;  his  natural  abili- 
ties were  of  such  a  high  order."  In  the  absence  of  the  regular 
preacher  he  was  often  called  to  conduct  the  Sunday  service 
and  on  such  occasions  his  Scriptual  expositions  were  wonder- 
fully clear,  cogent,  and  spiritual.  But  especially  were  his 
prayers  inspired  by  that  indescribable  pathos  and  eloquence 
that  carried  all  hearts  up  with  him  to  the  throne  of  grace.  One 
of  the  happiest  recollections  of  my  boyhood  was  climbing  on 
his  knee,  when  he  was  visiting  my  father,  and  urging  him  to 
tell  me  a  story  which  he  could  do  in  a  way  that  surpassed 
imitation. 

The  following  incident  was  told  of  John  Caldwell. 
While  in  Scotland  one  of  his  friends  in  Illinois  wrote  him 
that  Providence  was  holding  eighty  acres  of  land  for  him. 
Shortly  after  his  arrival  here  he  went  out  one  morning  on  the 
eighty  with  his  old  country  axe  with  a  straight  handle.  Mr. 
Caldwell  was  not  accustomed  to  chopping  wood  in  his  native 
land.  He  started  to  cut  down  a  large  white  oak  tree  about 
four  feet  through.  He  hacked  all  day  at  the  tree  but  did  not 
succeed  in  getting  it  down.  When  he  returned  in  the  evening 
he  said  to  his  friend,  "Weal,  if  Providence  is  keeping  that 
eighty  for  me,  he  is  cheated  for  once."  He,  with  his  brother- 
in-law,  D.  C.  Ralston,  came  to  the  West  Lane  and  took  up 
three  eighties  which  is  the  farm  now  owned  by  Andrew  Smith. 


83 

Chapter  IX 
NEW  CHURCH  BUILT 

The  present  church  was  built  in  1877  and  was  dedicated 
on  Thursday,  February  7,  1878.  The  dedication  sermon 
was  preached  by  Professor  F.  L.  Patton,  of  Chicago.  The 
Congregation  accepted  a  gift  of  land  and  manse  from  Robert 
Howie  at  the  present  location.  The  Reverend  Ben.  E.  S. 
Ely,  a  former  pastor,  paid  the  following  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  Robert  Howie.  "I  knew  him  well.  It  was  my  privilege 
to  be  with  him  at  his  death  bed  and  preach  his  funeral  sermon. 
I  think  he  might  be  justly  called  the  John  Knox  of  this  church. 
He  was  made  of  the  same  kind  of  material  that  the  reformer 
was.  He  was  as  stiff  as  a  ramrod,  so  straight  in  his  orthodoxy 
that  he  bent  back,  but  although  he  was  an  austere  man  and 
thus  made  some  enemies,  he  was  a  pillar  of  strength  to  the 
church  and  to  no  one  perhaps  is  the  church  more  indebted  than 
to  him.  I  first  learned  from  him  that  when  a  Scotchman 
wanted  to  say  *no'  with  a  vengence,  he  said,  *na'  with  a 
snap." 

No  one  knew  until  he  was  on  his  death  bed  that  he  had 
broken  two  of  his  ribs  while  returning  from  a  prayer  meeting 
by  his  horse  falling  into  a  ditch.  Mr.  Howie  was  a  bachelor 
and  had  no  one  to  keep  him  right  on  the  days  of  the  week. 
One  Sunday  morning  he  harnessed  his  horses  and  went  to 
plow  in  the  field.  Mr.  Ferguson,  his  neighbor,  told  him  that 
it  was  Sunday.  Robin  said,  "na."  He  was  not  willing  to 
believe  it  as  Mr.  Ferguson  was  a  humorous  man,  but,  like 
Jacob  of  old,  when  Robin  saw  the  wagons  coming  to  church 
he  believed.  The  following  incident,  which  was  taken  from  a 
newspaper  clippings,  is  credited  to  Mr.  Howie: 

"When  the  big  emigration  took  place  from  Kintyre  sixty 
or  seventy  years  ago,  the  emigrants  settled  here  and  there  in 
small  colonies,  and  townships  sprang  up  which  were  given  the 
old  familiar  names  in  the  homeland.     These  settlers  preserved 


84 

the  customs  of  the  district  from  which  they  came  in  the  old 
country  with  remarkable  fidelity,  and  it  was  characteristic  of 
them  that  this  was  peculiarly  so  in  the  matter  of  religion. 

"Recently  at  a  dinner  party  in  New  York  a  story  was  told 
relating  to  the  settlement  of  Argyle,  where  up  till  a  few  years 
ago  practically  every  resident  was  of  Kintyre  extraction. 

"The  conversation  had  turned  on  the  proper  length  of 
sermons,  and  one  of  the  guests  at  length  attempted  to  sum  up 
the  discussion  by  remarking:  'At  least  none  of  us  have  ever 
heard  of  anybody  in  church  objecting  because  the  sermon  was 
too  short.' 

"Dr.  Mackenzie,  secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  College 
Board,  was  at  the  table,  and  he  quietly  accepted  the  implied 
challenge. 

'Yes/  he  said,  'I  have  heard  of  a  sermon  that  was  too 
short.  And  it  was  my  sermon.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  1873, 
when  I  was  just  about  graduating  from  M'Cormick  Seminary 
in  Chicago.  I  was  invited  to  preach  in  the  country  church  of 
Argyle,  Illinois — a  church  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable Scotch  settlements  in  the  United  States.  The  house 
of  worship  was  a  substantial  building  of  brick,  the  manse  was 
of  stone,  and  had  a  'glebe'  of  perhaps  five  acres  attached  to  it. 
It  all  looked  good  to  me.  Their  pulpit  was  vacant  and  I  was 
engaged  to  be  married ;  and  I  was  hoping  for  a  call. 

'  'But  when  morning  service  was  ended  a  silent,  rigid  old 
elder,  typically  Scotch,  took  me  home  with  him.  After  dinner 
he  said  solemnly: 

'  'I'm  thinking  there  is  something  I  should  be  say  in'  to  ye.' 

'  'I  shall  be  thankful  to  hear  it,'  I  responded. 

'  'I'm  thinkin'  ye'll  no  like  it,'  he  went  on. 

'  'I  told  him  I  was  prepared  for  anything. 
'Well,'  he  went  on  more  solemnly  still.      'I'm  thinkin' 
ye'll  no  do.     Ye  see,'  he  went  on,  'ye  preached  only  thirty 
minutes,  and  there's  many  of  our  people  drove  six  miles  to  sit 


85 

under  ye.  They'll  no  be  thinking  it's  worth  while  to  drive  so 
far  to  hear  so  little.'  ' 

"And  Dr.  Mackenzie's  first  call  came  from  another  church. 
His  brevity  was  fatal  in  Argyle. 

Account  of  the  drowning  of  Archibald  Armour  and  Daniel 
McDermaid,  on  June  18,  1868: 

Mrs.  Robert  Armour,  a  widow,  and  her  son,  Archibald, 
owned  a  farm  on  the  East  Lane,  which  was  part  of  the  original 
Armour  claim.  They  were  having  their  barn  repaired  by 
Thomas  Chapel  and  Richard  Lawer.  The  eighteenth  of 
June,  being  a  very  hot  day,  they  stopped*  working.  Daniel 
McDermaid  was  working  for  the  Armours  at  that  time.  They 
all  went  to  Caledonia  and  on  their  way  home,  they  thought  of 
taking  a  swim  at  the  culvert,  about  one  mile  north  of  Caledonia. 
Previous  to  this  time  there  had  been  a  freshet  and  the  water 
was  high.  Planks  had  been  laid  under  the  culvert  for  the 
water  to  run  through  and  the  freshet  had  undermined  them. 
They  all  had  their  plunge  and  came  out  except  Archibald 
Armour,  who  on  his  way  out,  accidently  slipped  off  the  end 
of  the  planks  into  a  deep  hole  under  them.  When  he  came  up, 
Mr.  Lawer  caught  him  by  the  hair  and  Mr.  McDemaid  by 
his  arm  but  all  three  went  down.  Mr.  Lawer  got  himself 
clear  of  the  others,  one  of  them  having  their  arm  around  his 
neck.  He  came  up  and  went  down  again.  When  he  came 
up  the  third  time,  he  succeeded  in  swimming  out.  The  others 
did  not  rise  again.  They  called  for  help  and  John  McEach- 
ran,  Mr.  Wellington,  and  Colin  Lang  came  to  their  assistance. 
They  took  the  reins  from  the  horses  and  tried  to  locate  the 
bodies  but  the  water  was  too  deep.  They  sent  to  Caledonia 
for  help.  James  McMillan,  son  of  John  McMillan,  who  was 
a  clerk  in  William  Ralston's  store,  dived  down  and  located 
the  bodies.  By  this  time  a  number  of  people  had  come  to  their 
assistance.  They  recovered  the  bodies  but  they  had  been  in 
the  water  too  long,  and  could  not  be  restored  to  life.     Funeral 


86 

service  was  held  from  the  Armour  home  for  both  deceased  at 
the  same  hour.  Rev.  R.  G.  Thompson,  being  pastor  of  the 
Willow  Creek  Church  at  that  time,  conducted  the  service. 
This  occasion  was  peculiarly  sad  as  Mr.  Armour  was  the  only 
son  of  this  widowed  mother  and  Mr.  McDermaid  was  engaged 
to  Miss  Isabelle  Ralston,  and  was  to  have  been  married  soon. 
It  was  a  sad  day  in  the  history  of  the  Argyle  Settlement. 

In  1849  great  excitement  was  caused  by  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California.  From  all  parts  of  the  country  men  flocked 
to  the  gold  diggings.  Some  went  by  steamer  from  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama  and  by  sailing  vessels  around  Cape  Horn.  Others 
went  by  the  over  land  route  to  California  in  "The  covered 
wagon."  Among  those  who  went  from  this  community  to 
seek  their  fortunes  were  the  following:  Charles  Kelley,  James 
Watson,  Ralph  Liddister,  Robert  Henderson,  Daniel  Mc- 
Millan, J.  C.  Tripp,  and  James  McGeachie. 

Charles  Kelley  was  with  a  surveying  party  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  railway  for  a  number  of  years  and  had  quite  an  ex- 
perience in  camp  life.  He  was  a  crack  shot  and  was  one  of 
the  best  marksmen  in  this  part  of  the  country.  James  Mc- 
Geachie went  to  Panama  and  walked  across  the  Isthmus  camp- 
ing out  as  he  went  and  took  ship  for  California.  Charles 
Kelley  and  James  Watson  met  Buffalo  Bill  on  one  of  his 
scouting  trips.  Mr.  Kelley  met  him  later  at  one  of  his  shows 
and  he  remembered  him. 

On  the  south  side  within  bounds  of  Argyle  Settlement  were 
a  number  of  families  who  came  from  the  New  England  States. 
They  were  Jonas  Tofflemire,  David  Highbee,  Samuel  Session, 
Horace  Magoon,  Mr.  Cook,  James  Randall,  George  Early, 
and  Horace  Dyer.  Mr.  Tofflemire  owned  the  J.  C.  Tripp 
farm  and  at  an  early  day  donated  land  for  a  cemetery,  it 
was  in  use  as  far  back  as  1842.  The  majority  of  the  men 
mentioned  were  buried  at  this  place.  They  were  located  on 
farms  as  follows:    David  Highbee,  part  of  Donald  Sillars's 


87 

farm;  Samuel  Session,  south  eighty  of  J.  C.  Tripp  farm  now 
owned  by  J.  C.  Greenlee;  Horace  Magoon  on  the  Brown- 
Renwick  farm;  Horace  Dyer  on  farm  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Anderson;  James  Randall  known  as  Squire  Randall 
owned  the  Donald  Sillar's  farm,  and  Mr.  Cook  on  the  land 
later  owned  by  Robert  and  John  Smith,  which  is  now  owned 
by  Dr.  Shallenberger.  Mr.  Cook  built  a  small  distillery  near 
a  spring  where  he  distilled  whiskey  from  corn. 

Chapter  X 
THE  RAILROADS,  TOWNS  AND 
MISCELLANEOUS 
In  1 850,  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Railway  was  built 
as  far  as  Elgin  and  was  completed  to  Belvidere  in  1851-1852. 
The  farmers  in  this  vicinity  took  a  holiday  and  went  to  see 
the  first  engine  that  came  into  Belvidere.  They  realized  that 
the  time  was  at  hand  when  they  would  have  a  market  for  their 
grain  and  stock  without  going  the  long  journey  to  Chicago. 
A  company  was  organized  in  1 85  7  to  build  the  Kenosha  and 
Rockford  Railway.  Mr.  Charles  Spafford  of  Rockford  was 
president  of  the  company.  The  object  claimed  was  to  get 
another  outlet  to  Lake  Michigan,  other  than  Chicago.  Five 
year  bonds  were  issued  and  the  company  sent  out  agents  to 
interest  the  farmers  and  get  them  to  buy  stock.  The  induce- 
ments or  bait  held  out  to  the  farmers  was  that  the  earnings  of 
the  road  would  pay  for  their  stock  before  the  five  years  was 
up;  but  the  result  was  different.  Many  of  the  farmers  bought 
stock,  some  giving  their  notes  secured  by  a  mortgage  on  their 
land.  These  notes  were  used  as  collateral  at  the  banks  for 
money  to  build  the  road.  Before  the  road  was  finished,  the 
company  failed  and  the  road  was  sold  at  auction  to  the  highest 
bidder  and  the  North  Western  Company  bought  it.  Like  a 
great  many  other  swindles,  the  farmers  had  to  pay  up  their 
bonds  and  had  no  share  in  the  North  Western  Company.  The 
Kenosha  Railway,  which  was  intended  for  a  rival  line,  became 


88 

a  feeder  for  the  North  Western  Railway.  Some  farmers  nearly 
lost  their  farms  by  the  Kenosha  and  Rockford  Railway. 
(Will  we  farmers  ever  learn  to  leave  these  things  alone?) 

The  labor  of  building  the  Kenosha  and  Rockford  Railway 
was  done  by  Irishmen  from  Wisconsin,  who  came  here  and 
brought  their  families  with  them.  They  built  a  village  of 
shacks  or  shanties,  about  fifty  in  number.  This  village  was 
located  on  the  hill  on  the  south  side  of  the  railroad  on  the 
Picken  and  Sillar's  Road  on  land  now  owned  by  Hugh  Smith, 
about  one  mile  west  of  Argyle.  There  was  a  supply  store 
where  the  workmen  could  get  groceries,  tobacco,  and  other 
articles.  Every  family  kept  a  number  of  dogs,  so  the  boys 
called  it  "Dog  Town'*  and  the  name  stuck.  At  that  time  the 
farmers  churned  and  made  their  own  butter.  The  Irish  women 
would  go  among  the  farmers  and  get  the  buttermilk ;  would  set 
the  pail  of  milk  on  top  of  their  heads  and  walk  home  as  straight 
as  a  bee  line,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  younger  people. 
After  the  railway  was  finished,  they  moved  away  except  a  few 
families  who  located  on  land  east  of  Argyle  and  the  name  of 
their  town  followed  them  there.  Be  it  said  to  their  credit  that 
they  always  took  it  in  good  nature  when  joked  about  their 
town.  When  the  railroad  was  completed  in  1859,  John 
Andrew,  the  founder  of  the  village  of  Argyle,  bought  forty 
acres  of  land  from  Alexander  Reid  in  order  to  get  a  site  for 
a  depot.  He  then  petitioned  the  railway  company  for  a  station 
and  when  word  came  granting  the  request,  he  was  so  excited 
that  he  got  on  his  horse  and  rode  to  the  neighbors  to  tell  the 
good  news.  When  within  calling  distance  he  shouted,  "We 
have  got  it.  We  have  got  it."  On  being  asked  what  he  had 
gotten,  he  replied,  "Oh,  the  depot,  the  depot.'* 

The  name  of  the  postoffice  was  first  called  Kintyre,  in  honor 
of  the  district  they  had  come  from  in  Scotland,  but  later  there 
proved  to  be  another  Kintyre  in  the  state  so  the  name  was 
changed  to  Argyle,  in  honor  of  the  shire  or  county  they  came 


89 

from.  Mr.  Andrew,  with  his  sons,  built  a  store  and  grain 
elevator.  They  conducted  a  general  business  in  lumber,  coal, 
and  live  stock  up  to  the  time  it  was  sold  to  Ralston  Brothers. 
The  year  1 860  was  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  and  these 
were  stirring  times  in  the  country.  It  was  also  the  year  of  the 
big  crops  so  often  referred  to.  Wheat  went  up  to  $2.50  a 
bushel  and  corn  to  $1  and  other  grain  and  stock  in  proportion. 
When  green  backs  were  made  a  legal  tender  for  the  payment 
of  all  debts,  farmers  who  had  gone  in  debt  for  land  had  a  good 
opportunity  to  pay  for  it.  Thomas  Jackson,  a  gentleman  who 
was  a  clerk  in  the  store  at  Argyle,  organized  a  company  of 
home  guards  of  the  young  men  of  the  community  who  met 
Saturday  evenings  and  drilled  for  an  hour.  Mr.  Jackson  was 
their  captain.  They  had  blue  uniforms  with  brass  buttons  and 
made  a  fine  appearance.  When  the  call  came  for  men  to 
enlist  in  the  regular  army,  a  number  of  this  company  joined. 
Camp  Fuller,  in  Rockford,  was  located  where  National  Ave- 
nue, Harlem  Avenue  and  Camp  Avenue  now  are,  it  being  all 
vacant  at  that  time.  It  was  a  sad  day  in  Rockford  when  the 
soldiers  left  for  the  front.  They  marched  from  the  Fair- 
ground's Park  to  the  North  Western  depot.  They  later  joined 
the  lead  mine  regiment,  which  was  under  General  Grant.  Some 
will  remember  seeing  mothers,  wifes  and  sweethearts  coming 
out  of  the  houses  along  the  street  to  say  good-bye.  Some  of 
them  could  not  do  it,  they  were  so  overcome.  They  had  to 
turn  back  to  the  house.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  young 
men  who  went  from  this  locality.  It  is  not  a  complete  list 
but  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  conditions  at  that  time : 

Capt.  Thomas  Jackson  Alex  Jackson 

James  Waterson  Sylvester  Jackson 

Thomas   Lamont  Charles  Jackson 

Warren  Anderson  Newell  Joslin 

Hugh  McMichael  Senel  Vinolstine 

Neil  Watson  Henry  Morgan 

John  Lockey  Joseph  P.   Whalen 

Daniel  McNeilage  Dennis  Lane 


90 

John  W.  Parker  Daniel  Halley 

Alex  Lockey  Malancthon  Smith 

Lionel  Lockey  William  Kerr 

Malcolm  Bruner  Charles  Magoon 

Wm.  E.  Turner  Andrew  Sullivan 

Near  the  close  of  the  war,  the  government  issued  a  call  for 
100,000  men.  Each  county  had  to  furnish  a  certain  number 
of  men.  The  town  of  Harlem  had  to  furnish  twenty-three 
men.  In  order  to  prevent  a  draft,  a  meeting  was  called  of  the 
residents  and  voters  of  the  township  at  the  home  of  Robert 
Ralston,  town  clerk.  They  voted  to  raise  money  by  tax  levy 
to  hire  substitutes  to  fill  their  quota.  Ten  thousand  and  forty- 
five  dollars  was  raised  to  pay  a  bounty  to  men  to  go  as  substi- 
tutes. John  Smith  and  E.  S.  Bartholemew  had  charge  of  the 
work.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  men  who  went  for  the 
last  call : 

Edwin  Dooiittle  Hezekiah  H.  Turner 

Henry  Turner  Amos  Haskins 

James  Heffran  Russell  Dooiittle 

John   Darville  John  Cooney 

Jeremiah  Johnson  Steaphen  Youngman 

John  L.  Fisher  Charles  A.  Tample 

Daniel  Clark  C.   H.  Austin 

Henry  F.  McKnight  William  A.  Moore 

Frank  McAvoy  David  Johnson 

George  H.  Hopkins  George  M'.  Dell 

Isaac  Watts  George  A.  Parker 

Alonza  P.  Dooiittle 
James  Watterson  and  Daniel  McNeilage  were  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Shiloh  and  Thomas  Lamont  and  Hugh  Mc- 
Micheal  were  severely  wounded. 

THE  TOWNS 
Caledonia  is  one  of  the  poetical  names  of  Scotland.  It  was 
given  to  the  village  of  Caledonia  by  Gavin  Ralston,  the 
pioneer.  He,  with  his  brothers,  owned  eighty  acres  of  land 
where  the  village  now  stands.  The  Chicago  and  North  West- 
ern Railway  was  built  through  in  1852.  In  the  recorders* 
office  in  Belvidere  is  an  old  plat  of  the  village  given  by  Gavin 
Ralston,  being  all  on  the  north  by  the  east  side  of  the  railway. 


91 

The  second  plat  was  given  by  J.  A.  Cornwell  being  on  the 
south  by  west  side  of  the  railway.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
George  Watterman  came  from  one  of  the  eastern  states  and 
taught  in  the  Morgan  school  in  1844-1845,  being  the  first 
school  in  the  township.  It  appears  that  he  jumped  the  claim 
of  the  Ralston  eighty  acres  and  they  were  obliged  to  buy  it 
back  for  a  consideration  of  $150.  Among  the  first  families 
in  the  vicinity  of  Caledonia  was  Robert  Morgan.  Others  were 
Isaac  Sewell  and  Mr.  Whiting  who  planted  the  first  nursery  in 
this  locality;  Solomon  Greeley,  who  had  a  claim  on  the  farm 
later  owned  by  Robert  Henderson;  Mr.  Degroff,  Abraham 
Drake,  and  Mr.  Hoalt,  who  owned  the  Alexander  Ralston 
farm.  Ermerson  and  Guilkerson  built  the  hotel  and  managed 
it  for  a  number  of  years.  They  sold  it  to  Mr.  Montanna,  who 
later  sold  it  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chamberlain.  John  Arnott,  who 
owned  the  James  Hamilton  farm,  was  a  grain  and  live  stock 
merchant.  Mr.  Tuffelmire  managed  a  store  in  a  grout  build- 
ing on  the  east  side  of  the  railway,  which  is  now  owned  by 
Jerome  Sweeney.  Dr.  Renyolds  built  a  two  story  building  on 
the  corner  where  the  Condon  store  now  stands,  where  he  man- 
aged a  store.  He  was  succeeded  by  Emerson  and  later  by 
Henry  Morgan.  Some  time  after  this  building  was  burned 
down.  Hugh  Cunningham  of  Belvidere  conducted  a  store  in 
the  brick  building  and  was  succeeded  by  William  Ralston, 
who  managed  a  general  store.  Later  the  store  was  sold  to 
Thomas  Willson  and  Son,  who  also  built  and  managed  a 
creamery  for  a  number  of  years.  Other  business  men  of  a 
later  date  were  William  Cunningham,  J.  C.  Kelley,  Mr. 
Clarkson,  Wm.  McNeilage  and  Colin  Lang  and  Son.  Ral- 
ston Bros,  located  in  Caledonia  in  1880  which  gave  the  vil- 
lage a  new  start.  They  built  an  up-to-date  grain  elevator  and 
conducted  a  general  business  in  grain,  lumber,  coal  and  agri- 
cultural implements.  The  elevator  was  burned  in  the  month 
of  March,   1901.      It  was  rebuilt  with  mill  adjoining;   this 


92 

building  stood  for  ten  years  and  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  the 
evening  of  April  18,  1916.  Ralston  Brothers  for  the  third 
time  built  an  elevator  and  mill  with  electric  power  for  elevating 
and  grinding  feed.  The  central  of  the  Boone  County  Tele- 
phone Company  is  located  in  the  village  and  has  proved  a 
great  benefit  to  the  community  and  a  success  financially.  The 
Congregational  church,  in  the  village,  was  built  in  1894.  It 
is  a  credit  to  the  community  and  is  a  religious  and  social  center 
for  the  people.  Caledonia,  being  a  junction  on  one  of  the 
main  lines  between  Chicago  and  St.  Paul,  is  quite  a  busy  rail- 
way center  and  some  of  the  finest  and  fastest  trains  pass 
through  the  village.  This  year,  1922,  the  new  consolidated 
school  has  been  built. 

The  dedication  of  the  Caledonia  Consolidated  School  was 
held  on  Thursday  evening,  May  31,  1922,  in  the  auditorium. 
The  building  was  erected  on  a  four  acre  plot  of  ground  by  the 
Security  Building  Company  of  Rockford.  Members  of  the 
school  board  are  John  A.  Kellley,  president ;  John  W.  Thomp- 
son, secretary;  John  R.  Ralston,  Mathew  J.  Andrew,  J.  V. 
Beynon,  Carlyle  Ralston,  and  Robert  Cummings.  Addresses 
and  readings  were  given  by  Miss  Elizabeth  B.  Harvey,  John 
W.  Thompson,  William  Bowling,  and  Miss  Gladys  Whiting. 
Songs  were  given  by  school  children. 

The  meeting  concluded  with  a  dance. 

The  Caledonia  National  bank  received  their  charter  June 
22,  1914,  and  was  opened  for  business  December  1,  1914. 
The  capital  stock  is  $25,000.  The  officers  are  J.  A.  Brown, 
president,  and  J.  C.  Ralston,  vice  president.  W.  B.  Strong, 
who  was  cashier,  resigned  in  February,  1916,  and  John  A. 
Greenlee  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  The  directors  are 
J.  C.  Ralston,  F.  W.  Marriett,  W.  D.  Ralston,  W.  S.  Erick- 
son,  J.  A.  Kelley,  and  J.  A.  Brown.  Mr.  Erickson  resigned 
and  E.  T.  Griffith  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 


93 

OTHER  NEIGHBORING  TOWNS 

Belvidere  was  named  by  Samuel  P.  Daty,  who  was  the 
first  white  settler.  He  claimed  the  name  was  suggested  to  him 
by  Mark  Reublen,  an  early  French  settler  of  Chicago  who 
fancied  the  country  around  as  it  resembled  Belvidere,  near 
Weimer,  in  Saxe  Gotha,  Germany. 

Roscoe  derives  its  name  from  the  township  of  Roscoe,  which 
was  named  by  Ralph  Abell  in  honor  of  William  Roscoe,  the 
English  historian.  It  is  said  that  the  first  bridge  across  Rock 
River  in  Winnebago  County  was  built  at  Roscoe. 

Beloit,  Wisconsin,  was  first  named  by  the  settlers  in  1836, 
New  Albany.  They  were  not  satisfied  with  the  name  so  they 
called  a  meeting  to  have  the  name  changed.  Several  names 
were  proposed  and  rejected.  One  of  the  settlers  tried  to  sound 
a  French  word  meaning  handsome  ground,  uttered  the  sound 
Bellotte.  Another  settler  modified  this  to  Beloit,  which  was 
like  Detroit  in  sound  and  was  thought  pretty  and  original,  so 
the  newly  coined  name  was  adopted  and  by  it  New  Albany 
has  ever  since  been  known.        (Wisconsin  History  Bulletin). 

The  village  of  Harlem  derives  its  name  from  the  township. 
The  town  hall  is  located  there.  The  grain  elevator,  built  by 
L.  A.  Fabrick  and  managed  for  a  number  of  years,  is  now 
owned  by  Patterson  and  Company.  There  is  a  general  store, 
a  good  school,  blacksmith  shop  and  lumber  yard. 

ROCKFORD 
The  name  given  the  city  was  from  the  ford  where  they 
could  drive  across,  which  had  a  rock  bottom.  In  the  old  stage 
coach  days,  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  coach  was  of 
public  interest.  When  the  stage  road  was  surveyed  from 
Chicago,  via  Elgin,  Belvidere,  Rockford,  Freeport  and  Ga- 
lena, it  opened  a  way  for  a  regular  line  of  stage  coaches  leav- 
ing Chicago  on  Sunday.  The  schedule  time  between  Chicago 
and  Rockford  was  twenty-four  hours.  They  used  four  horses 
on  the  coach  and  changed  every  fifteen  miles.     They  carried 


94 

mail,  passengers,  and  light  parcels.  Frank  &  Walker  Com- 
pany owned  the  first  stage  line.  Their  barn  was  on  the  corner  of 
State  and  Third  streets. 

In  John  H.  Thurston's  book  "Early  Days  in  Rockford" 
he  states  that  the  first  Fourth  of  July  celebration  held  in 
Rockford  was  in  1837.  Dinner  was  cooked  in  Mrs.  Hight's 
iron  kettle.  The  speaking  and  program  was  held  in  Mr. 
Hight's  barn.  John  C.  Kimble  was  the  orator  of  the  day. 
The  celebration  finished  with  a  grand  ball,  the  first  in  the 
county,  which  was  held  in  Mr.  Hight's  house.  He  was  the 
original  owner  of  the  land  where  Rockford  now  stands.  There 
were  three  fiddlers  and  "Old  Zip  Coon"  was  the  favorite. 
Mirth  and  fun  grew  fast  and  furious. 

The  first  religious  services  held  in  Winnebago  County,  by 
a  white  congregation,  were  in  Germanicus  Kent's  log  house 
in  June,  1835.  Reverend  Aracus  Kent,  a  Presbyterian 
minister  of  Galena,  was  the  preacher  and  the  families  of 
Daniel  S.  Hight  and  Mr.  Kent,  seventeen  in  number,  being 
all  the  white  inhabitants  in  the  county  except  Stephen  Mack, 
were  present. 

The  first  county  fair  was  held  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  in 
1 84 1 .  The  first  cannon  used  in  Rockford  was  made  there  and 
was  fired  to  celebrate  July  4,  1837.  In  the  pioneer  days  the 
nearest  market  was  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  Racine,  Wisconsin. 
The  farmers  would  form  a  party  and  go  with  their  oxen  teams. 
In  this  way  they  could  help  one  another  if  they  had  any  mis- 
fortune or  got  stuck  in  the  mud.  They  sometimes  got  stalled  on 
State  Street,  Chicago.  If  the  trip  was  made  in  a  week,  they 
thought  they  had  done  well,  and  in  later  years  when  horses 
were  used,  the  trip  could  be  made  much  faster.  A  few  of  the 
farmers  had  one  horse  that  they  could  use  to  plough  corn  as  the 
oxen  would  tramp  and  eat  the  growing  corn.  The  first  to  own 
and  drive  a  pair  of  horses  in  Argyle  Settlement  was  William 
Ferguson  and  Robert  Armour.     On  a  still,  frosty  night,  when 


95 

the  home  folks  were  expecting  their  fathers  or  brothers  from 
Chicago,  they  would  listen  for  the  noise  of  the  wagons  re- 
turning in  the  direction  of  Belvidere  and  would  give  them  a 
hearty  welcome. 

Farm  life  in  the  pioneer  days  was  very  different  from 
what  it  is  now.  At  that  time  it  was  much  the  same  as 
it  was  in  Bible  times  "A  sower  went  forth  to  sow."  The  grain 
was  scattered  broadcast  by  hand  on  the  fields.  The  reaping 
was  done  with  a  cradle,  hook,  or  sickle.  Some  of  these  cradles 
and  hooks  may  be  found  in  the  community,  being  relics  of  by- 
gone days.  The  threshing  was  done  with  a  flail,  or  by  tramp- 
ing the  grain  out  with  oxen  or  horses  on  a  threshing  floor.  We 
are  told  in  Judges  6-1  1  that  Gideon  threshed  wheat  by  the 
winepress  to  hide  it  from  the  Midionites.  The  first  reapers 
were  the  McCormick  machine.  Robert  and  John  Smith, 
Gavin  Ralston,  Hugh  Reid,  and  the  Hendersons  were  the 
first  to  get  reapers.  Later  the  Fountains  at  Rockton  manu- 
factured a  reaper,  and  the  Mannys  of  Rockford,  a  combined 
reaper  and  mower.  Then  the  self  rakes  came  into  use.  James 
O.  Gregory  of  Roscoe,  and  Charles  Picken  on  West  Lane 
had  machines  of  this  kind.  This  was  a  large  rake  attached 
to  the  reaper  that  was  run  with  a  gear  and  went  through  the 
motions  that  a  man  would  make  to  take  off  bundles.  It  was 
comical  to  watch  it  at  work.  The  next  improvement  in  reapers 
was  the  March  Harvester.  They  were  manufactured  by 
Emerson  and  Talcott  of  Rockford.  Two  men  stood  on  the 
machine  and  bound  the  grain.  The  straw  was  elevated  as 
fast  as  it  was  cut  over  the  ground  wheel.  The  first  of  these 
machines  that  came  to  this  community  was  to  Robert  Greenlee 
in  Guilford,  to  cut  a  field  of  rye.  All  the  farmers  went  to  see 
it  at  work.  Many  of  the  young  men  were  expert  binders  and  the 
machine  was  a  success.  From  that  machine  came  the  idea  of 
the  self  binder  we  have  at  present. 

The  first  threshing  machine  was  simply  a  cylinder  run  by 


96 

horse  power.  The  grain  and  straw  came  out  together.  Later 
a  machine  which  they  called  a  traveling  machine  was  invented. 
The  power  to  drive  the  cylinder  was  from  the  ground  wheel, 
the  same  as  a  reaper.  There  was  a  box  attached  to  hold  the 
grain.  It  was  operated  by  driving  to  the  stack,  putting  on  a 
load  of  bundles  and  driving  away  in  the  field  threshing  as  it 
went.  The  straw  came  out  at  the  end  as  threshed  and  the 
grain  dropped  into  a  box.  The  next  machine  was  called  the 
Rochester,  a  complete  machine  owned  by  John  Smith  and 
Brothers,  also  another  by  the  Wright  Brothers.  The  Richard- 
sons  of  Roscoe  built  a  machine  which  was  run  by  Lovejoy  and 
Mabie.  They  threshed  for  a  toll,  taking  every  tenth  bushel. 
This  machine  had  one  advantage.  The  belt  could  be  tightened 
by  weighting  a  pulley.  George  Greenlee  and  Charles  Brown 
managed  a  machine  called  the  Ohio  Blue  for  a  number 
of  years.  Other  threshing  outfits  were  owned  by  Robert 
Montgomery  and  Robert  Ralston,  James  Turner  and 
Robert  Greenlee,  Alex  Smith,  John  Reid,  L.  McLee,  and 
Hugh  Greenlee.  William  and  Alexander  McDonald  owned 
a  Buffalo  Pitt.  Later  the  machines  became  more  plentiful  and 
a  larger  make.  In  the  early  days,  when  there  was  so  much 
straw  they  had  to  thresh  all  winter,  sometimes  having  as  much 
fun  at  an  old-fashioned  threshing  as  at  a  picnic.  Threshing 
companies  of  a  later  date  were  Robert  and  John  Thompson, 
James  Watson,  and  Charles  Kelley,  John  Andrew,  Chas. 
Kelley,  Alex  Smith  and  Robert  Greenlee,  Watson  McMillan 
and  McDonald,  J.  R.  McDonald  and  Duncan  Kelley,  John 
Reid  and  Thomas  Watterson,  John  and  Andrew  McDonald, 
J.  B.  and  David  Ralston,  J.  R.  and  David  McDonald. 
These  were  all  horse  power  machines  and  were  in  use  up  to 
the  time  of  the  steam  threshers. 

There  were  also  improvements  in  other  farm  machinery. 
Corn  was  planted  with  the  hoe  and  cultivated  with  a 
small    plow    with    one    horse    going    twice    on    one    row. 


97 

Later  they  used  a  walking  cultivator  with  two  horses 
going  once  on  the  row.  Afterwards  the  riding  culti- 
vator came  into  use.  Now,  by  using  three  horses  they  can 
cultivate  two  rows  at  one  time.  Harvesting  the  hay  crop 
now  is  much  easier  and  faster  than  when  they  cut  with  the 
scythe  and  used  the  hand  rake.  Now  they  have  wide  mowers, 
the  tedders,  hay  loaders,  and  barns  equipped  with  hay  fork 
and  a  track  to  gather  the  hay  into  the  barn. 

It  seems  strange  that  with  all  our  improvements  in  farm 
machinery  the  farmer  is  as  busy  now  as  in  the  pioneer  days, 
but  the  work  is  not  as  hard.  One  reason  they  have  less  help 
for  the  amount  of  work  accomplished.  Before  the  Union 
Stock  yards  in  Chicago  were  built  the  farmers  would  dress 
their  hogs  for  the  market.  This  was  done  in  the  winter  months 
so  the  meat  would  freeze  before  it  was  shipped.  There  was  a 
lot  of  hard  work  and  a  lot  of  fun  about  an  old-fashioned 
butchering.  The  neighbors  would  help  one  another  and  there 
was  a  social  time  as  well. 

As  to  the  social  and  educational  life  of  the  community, 
nothing  as  yet  has  taken  the  place  of  the  old-fashioned  singing 
schools,  spelling  schools,  debating  societies,  and  musical 
geography  schools,  of  the  pioneer  days.  The  first  singing 
school  was  taught  by  Mr.  Cole  in  the  log  school.  Mr.  Vincent 
of  Roscoe  taught  in  the  stone  school  and  the  brick  church. 
On  the  south  side,  Mr.  Miller  and  Mr.  Mears  taught  in  the 
Enoch  School.  Later  Mr.  Billings  taught  two  schools  each 
week,  one  at  the  stone  school  and  the  other  at  the  Enoch 
School.  He  was  an  expert  at  teaching  the  young  people  to 
read  notes.  He  told  the  boys  if  they  ever  saw  a  chipmunk 
running  on  a  crooked  rail  fence,  that  was  the  way  to  read 
notes.  Sabin  Wood  and  Wash  Warner  of  Roscoe  taught  in 
West  Lane  and  Enoch  Schools.  For  lights  they  used  tallow 
candles.  Each  family  would  bring  one  or  two  according  to 
the  number  of  young  people.     It  was  considered  quite  a  fete 


98 

or  stunt  among  the  young  braves  to  snuff  the  candles  with  their 
fingers  without  getting  burned. 

Spelling  contests  were  popular  in  winter  months  and  there 
was  quite  a  rivalry  between  the  schools.  Miss  Mary  and 
David  McDonald  and  Helen  Picken  were  the  best  spellers 
on  the  north  district  and  Miss  Mariah  Andrew  and  James 
Lamont  in  the  Enoch  district.  After  the  spelling  contest, 
they  had  readings,  songs,  and  declamations.  Robert 
Henderson  was  one  of  the  best  declaimers  of  the  old 
school  days.  There  were  several  debating  societies  in  the 
community.  The  principal  speakers  in  the  society  that  was 
held  in  West  Lane  School  were  David  Howie,  Mathew 
Harvey,  James  Ferguson,  Martin  McKinzie,  Mathew  Howie, 
and  John  Greenlee.  David  C.  Ralston  was  president  of  the 
West  Lane  Literary  Society.  He  decided  all  questions,  de- 
bated with  satisfaction  to  all.  Mr.  Ralston  was  well  qualified 
for  the  position.  He  was  a  deep  reader  and  thinker.  Al- 
though he  had  not  the  advantages  of  the  schools,  he  was  at 
home  among  the  knotty  questions  of  philosophy  and  was 
familiar  with  the  writings  of  McCosh,  Drummond,  and  Sir 
William  Hamilton,  and  was  gifted  with  a  clear  mind  on 
public  questions  of  the  day. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  many  to  make  mention  of  the 
musical  life  of  the  settlement  in  the  years  1850-1852. 
Musical  geography  schools  were  popular  and  interesting  and 
were  a  great  feature  in  the  educational  and  social  life  of  the 
community.  Robert  Ralston  conducted  these  evening  schools 
in  the  log  school  and  Mr.  Miller  and  Mr.  Mears  held  evening 
schools  in  the  Enoch  district.  The  following  is  a  few  copies 
of  the  songs  and  chants  they  used  to  sing  at  those  schools: 

THE  COUNTIES  OF  NORTHERN  ILLINOIS 
(To  the  tune  of  "The  Old  Granite  State.") 
We're  a  band  of  happy  students 
We're  a  band  of  happy  students 


99 

And  we'll  join  to  sing  the  counties 
Of  our  own  Prairie  State. 

Lake,  McHenry,  Winnebago 
Boone,  Stephenson  and  Joe  Davis 
These  are  all  the  northern  counties 
Of  our  broad  Prairie  State. 

COMPOSED  BY  ROBERT  RALSTON 
(To  be  sung  or  chanted) 
The  maps  which  here  we  station 
For  our  present  explanation 
Is  a  delineation  of  North  America 

And  now  it's  our  commission 
To  sing  of  each  division 
And  tell  with  great  precision 
Each  ocean,  sea  and  bay 
Each  lake  enclosed  by  dry  land 
Each  channel,  cape  and  highland 
Each  river,  strait  and  island 
And  each  peninsula 
All  these  we  mean  to  mention 
To  assist  your  apprehension 
So  give  us  your  attention 
To  all  we  have  to  say. 
The  equator  is  a  fancy  line 
Around  this  earthly  ball 

The  distance  north  from  this  same  line 
North  latitude  we  call 
South  latitude  is  distance  south 
From  this  same  fancy  ring 
And  parallels  of  latitude 
To  range  with  this  we  bring 
Meridians  ranging  north  and  south 
Are  fancy  circles  too 


100 

They  touch  the  poles  as  they  proceed 
And  cut  the  equator  through 
By  longitude  we  understand 
The  distance  east  and  west 
From  same  meridian  we  may  choose 
Whichever  we  like  best. 

PENINSULAS 

Now  of  peninsulas  we  sing 

Alaska  leads  the  rhyme  sir 

Next  Melville,  Nova  Scotia  come 

All  in  a  northern  clime  sir 

And  in  the  south  comes  Florida 

With  Yucatan  we  meet  sir 

And  California  follows  next 

To  make  the  list  complete  sir. 
There  are  others  giving  the  capitals  of  the  states,  also  the 
mountains,  lakes,  and  rivers.  The  above  copies  are  sufficient 
to  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  a  musical  geography  school. 
They  did  not  confine  themselves  to  geography  alone.  They 
applied  it  to  arithmetic  also.  They  sang  the  tables  of  addition, 
subtraction,  division,  and  multiplication  from  one  up  to 
twelve. 

THE  WELLS 

Some  of  the  readers,  no  doubt,  remember  the  old-fashioned 
wells  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  young,  I  will  try  to  describe 
one.  When  the  country  was  new,  good  wells  could  be  gotten 
some  places  by  digging  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet.  There  was 
a  box  like  curb  three  or  four  feet  high  placed  at  the  mouth  of 
the  well  to  prevent  anything  from  falling  in.  A  post  having 
a  crotch  on  the  end  was  set  in  the  ground  a  certain  distance 
from  the  well.  On  this  post  was  placed  a  long  pole  so  that 
it  would  balance.  When  tipped  the  small  end  of  the  pole 
would  go  into  the  well.  To  the  small  end  of  the  pole  a  rope 
chain  and  bucket  was  fastened.     It  resembled  an  immense  fish 


101 

pole  with  line  attached.  When  they  wished  to  draw  a  pail 
of  water  they  would  pull  down  on  the  rope  until  the  bucket 
was  full.  Then  the  heavy  end  of  the  pole  would  raise  the 
bucket  out  of  the  well.  It  was  called  a  sweep  well.  On 
deeper  wells  a  rope  windlass  and  crank  was  used  and  the 
bucket  was  wound  up  out  of  the  well.  No  doubt  it  was  at 
one  of  these  wells  that  the  poet,  Samuel  Woodworth,  got  the 
inspiration  to  write  "The  Old  Oaken  Bucket." 

"How  dear  to  my  heart  are  the  scenes  of  my  childhood 
When  fond  recollections  present  them  to  view 
The  orchard,  the  meadow,  the  deep  tangled  wildwood 
And  every  loved  spot  which  my  infancy  knew. 

"The  wide  spreading  pond  and  the  mill  which  stood  by  it. 
The  bridge  and  the  rock  where  the  cataract  fell 
The  cot  of  my  father  the  dairy  house  night  it 
And  e'en  the  rude  bucket  that  hung  in  the  well. 

"The  old  oaken  bucket,  the  iron-bound  bucket 
The  moss-covered  bucket  which  hung  in  the  well." 

There  is  one  of  the  old-fashioned  sweep  wells  on  a  farm 
four  miles  northwest  of  Rockford,  known  as  the  Crow's  Nest 
farm,  formerly  owned  by  Miss  Kate  F.  O'Conner. 

A  CORRECTION 

It  was  stated  in  the  "Willow  Creek  History"  published  in 
1895  and  1920  that  Dr.  T.  C.  Easton  was  called  from 
Harvard,  Wisconsin.  At  the  time  he  was  called  to  Willow 
Creek  Church,  Argyle,  he  was  serving  a  church  at  Berlin, 
Green  Lake  County,  Wisconsin.  It  was  by  telegram  they 
invited  him  to  come  for  communion  service,  afterward  pre- 
senting him  with  a  call. 

The  young  men  of  the  parish,  who  studied  for  the  ministry, 
were  John  Giffen,  John  Montgomery,  Thomas  Lamont,  Hugh 
Lamont,  Mathew  Howie,  James  A.  Harvey,  Frank  Reid,  and 


102 

Edward  Montgomery,  also  William  Henderson,  a  singing 
evangelist.  Who  will  be  the  next  to  hold  up  the  banner  of 
the  cross  in  this  land  or  in  some  foreign  field?  "The  harvest 
truly  is  great  but  the  laborers  are  few."  In  the  year  1857 
the  Willow  Creek  Church  was  without  a  pastor  and  was 
supplied  by  Reverend  Ebenezer  Brown,  of  Roscoe.  One  of 
the  candidates  for  the  church  was  a  Dr.  Smith,  who  preached 
for  six  months.  He  was  a  large  man  with  a  powerful  voice 
and  a  natural  orator.  On  one  occasion  he  preached  a  sermon 
on  "The  Lost  Soul."  He  tried  to  describe  eternity  and  said 
that  after  centuries  and  ages  had  passed  by,  the  clock  strikes 
and  one  eternity  has  just  begun.  The  sermon  made  a  great 
impression  upon  the  congregation,  and  some  of  the  people  be- 
came frightened.  Though  a  lad  at  that  time,  I  remember  that 
sermon  distinctly. 

The  first  death  in  the  colony  was  little  Archie  Picken,  son 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Picken,  who  died  June  15,  1841  at 
the  age  of  five  years  and  twenty-six  days.  There  was  a 
poplar  grove  on  their  farm,  south  and  east  of  where  the  ceme- 
tery is  now  located.  Little  Archie  was  buried  there.  He  was 
followed  to  his  little  grave  by  those  who  loved  his  best,  where 
a  like  service  was  never  held  before.  After  the  Scottish 
Cemetery  was  organized,  his  remains  were  removed  to  that 
place.  The  next  death  was  Mrs.  Andrew  Giffen,  who  laid 
down  the  burdens  of  pioneer  life  in  July,  1841.  There  was 
an  oak  grove  on  the  south  side  of  Robert  Howie's  farm,  now 
owned  by  Mathew  Andrew.  It  was  there  that  Mrs.  Giffen 
was  buried.  A  number  of  people  were  later  buried  at  this 
place.  As  there  was  no  public  road  to  this  place,  it  was  not 
suitable  for  that  purpose  and  was  finally  abandoned.  The 
Scottish  Cemetery  Association  was  organized  April  19,  1859. 
At  a  meeting  held  in  District  No.  4,  West  Lane  School-house, 
the  following  officers  were  elected :  John  Andrew,  president ; 
Alex    Ralston,    secretary    and    treasurer;    Thomas    Brown, 


103 
Robert  Smith,  and  Edward  Brown,  directors. 

SIXTIETH  ANNIVERSARY 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Henderson  celebrated  the  sixtieth 
anniversary  of  their  wedding  day  October  2,  1922,  at  their 
home,  618  Fisher  Avenue,  Rockford,  Illinois.  Open  house 
was  kept  afternoon  and  evening.  One  hundred  and  seventy 
friends  and  neighbors  called  to  congratulate  them  on  the  happy 
occasion.  Mr.  Henderson  was  born  in  Scotland  and  came 
with  his  parents  to  Canada  in  1841  where  they  remained  two 
years  before  coming  to  the  Argyle  Settlement.  They  located 
on  a  farm  near  Caledonia,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Henderson,  who  was 
Miss  Ellen  Ralston,  was  born  in  Watertown,  Ohio,  in  1843, 
coming  to  Illinois  in  1850.  They  were  married  October  2, 
1863  at  Rockford  and  lived  on  their  farm  near  Caledonia 
until  fourteen  years  ago  when  they  retired  to  Rockford.  Of 
the  families  of  Argyle  Settlement,  they  were  the  first  to  cele- 
brate sixty  years  of  married  life.  They  have  been  blessed 
in  basket  and  store  and  it  is  the  wish  of  their  many  friends  that 
their  remaining  years  will  be  full  of  joy  and  happiness. 

The  Scotch  weddings  were  proverbly  large.  How  they 
accommodated  such  large  gatherings  in  the  old-fashioned 
house  was  a  wonder,  but  where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way. 
Dr.  Easton,  a  former  pastor,  performed  a  number  of  mar- 
riage ceremonies  during  his  pastorate.  He  said  that  he  did 
not  know  when  the  young  people  did  their  courting  as  he 
never  saw  them  keeping  company  in  public.  At  parties  and 
weddings,  when  the  young  people  were  forbidden  to  dance  to 
instrumental  music,  they  would  sing  to  their  plays  and  dances. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  plays.  "I  wonder 
where  Maria's  gone,*'  "Pumpkin  pie,"  "The  needle's  eye," 
"Sailing  on  the  boat  when  the  tide  runs  high,"  "Happy  is  the 
miller  who  lives  by  the  mill,"  "Come  on  my  dearest  partner," 
"Pop  goes  the  weasel,"  and  the  "Wild  goose  chase." 

New  Year's  Day  was  the  principal  holiday  in  the  colony, 


104 

when  old  and  young  shook  hands  and  wished  all  a  Happy 
New  Year  and  many  a'  them.  It  was  a  hearty  hand-shake, 
not  like  the  formal  pump  handle  shakes  we  now  sometimes  get. 
They  would  call  on  their  friends  and  neighbors  and  sometimes 
there  would  be  a  rivalry  who  would  be  the  first  foot,  or  caller. 
Extra  cooking  and  baking  was  prepared  by  the  good-hearted 
house-wives.  There  was  Scotch  shortbread,  currant  bun  and 
grandma's  cookies  of  all  kinds,  home-made  wine,  cider  and 
lemonade  for  the  young  people,  and  a  "Wee  Douch  and 
Doris  before  ye  gang  awa'  "  for  the  old  people.  It  was  a 
time  of  good  cheer  and  old  and  young  were  happy. 

In  the  early  days  the  women  would  card  and  spin  the  wool 
into  yarn  for  family  use.  AH  the  socks,  stockings,  and  mit- 
tens were  knit  by  hand.  The  yarn  was  also  used  for  making 
cloth,  such  as  blankets  and  shawls.  Listen,  you  who  are  old 
enough  to  remember.  Can  you  hear  the  hum  of  the  old 
spinning  wheel,  and  the  whurr  of  the  reel  as  your  mother,  wife, 
or  sister  spins  for  the  family?  She  sings  as  she  spins.  The 
spinning  was  timed  to  the  song  and  as  the  last  thread  was 
wound  on  the  spindle,  the  song  was  finished.  It  was  the  song 
of  home  life  and  contentment,  sweeter  by  far  than  the  noise 
of  the  factory  we  hear  in  modern  days. 

The  pioneer  days  were  days  of  toil  and  hardships,  yet  they 
had  a  bright  side.  The  pioneers  were  all  striving  to  gain 
homes  of  their  own  which  was  something  that  they  were  not 
likely  to  gain  if  they  had  stayed  in  their  native  land.  They 
were  all  as  one  family.  They  would  borrow  and  lend,  and 
what  one  had  they  all  had.  There  was  something  cheerful 
and  cozy  about  the  old  open  fire-place.  On  the  long  winter 
evenings  the  neighbors  would  "calie"  or  visit  each  other.  The 
young  people  would  romp  in  their  games  and  the  older  people 
would  crack  about  the  homeland  and  the  friends  thev  had 
parted  with  in  Scotland. 


105 

FIRST  PICNIC 
The  first  Fourth  of  July  picnic  and  celebration  held  in  the 
settlement  was  in  1861.  It  was  held  at  the  west  side  of 
Robert  Howie's  grove,  not  far  from  the  site  of  the  old  log 
school.  D.  C.  Ralston  was  president  and  George  Picken  was 
the  marshal  of  the  day.  The  speaker  of  the  day  was  a  lawver 
from  Rockford.  The  speakers  of  local  talent  were  James 
Ferguson  and  Mathew  Howie.  Mr.  Ferguson's  address  was 
of  a  comic  nature  and  was  enjoyed  by  all.  Mr.  Howie's 
address  was  greatly  appreciated,  as  the  community  was  not 
aware  that  they  had  a  young  Demosthenes  in  their  midst. 
He  impressed  the  audience  with  his  eloquence.  It  was  through 
the  influence  of  Reverend  T.  G.  Smith,  who  was  pastor  at  that 
time,  that  Mr.  Howie  was  brought  out  as  a  public  speaker. 
This  was  his  first  effort  and  it  paved  the  way  to  his  becoming 
a  successful  minister  of  the  gospel.  The  choir  of  young 
people,  under  the  direction  of  George  Greenlee  and  Robert 
Harvey,  gave  several  selections.  The  opening  number  was  an 
anthem,  entitled  "Santas  Hosanna"  which  was  well  received. 
Long  tables  were  set  under  the  trees  where  a  sumptuous 
dinner  was  served. 

The  following  year,  1862,  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration 
was  held  at  the  east  side  of  Mr.  Howie's  grove  near  the  road 
just  south  of  the  church.  These  were  Civil  War  times  and  the 
martial  spirit  was  in  evidence.  The  young  men  who  had 
joined  the  home  guards  met  at  the  training  grounds  at  Argyle 
and  marched  to  the  picnic  grounds  led  by  the  fife  and  drum 
band.  Mr.  Burdick  played  the  fife,  John  Lockey  the  snare 
drum.  The  latter  afterwards  became  a  drum  major  in  the 
regular  army.  Henry  Ralston  played  the  bass  drum  and 
Harvey  Gregory  carried  the  stars  and  stripes.  The  boys  made 
a  fine  appearance  in  their  blue  blouse  uniforms  with  brass 
buttons.  Some  of  the  young  men  afterwards  joined  the  regular 
army  and  gave  their  lives  for  their  country.     The  committee. 


106 

John  Thompson,  Neuell  Joslin,  and  William  Harvey,  made  a 
barrel  of  lemonade,  which  was  free  for  every  one.  There  was 
no  fruit  or  confectionery  for  sale  on  the  grounds,  but  it  made 
no  difference  as  the  young  people  had  little  money  to  spend 
those  days  and  were  happy  just  the  same.  That  evening  there 
was  a  wedding  in  the  settlement,  and  some  of  the  young  people 
were  invited  to  be  present.  The  young  couple  were  Jane 
Greenlee  and  John  Smith,  of  Winnebago.  The  young  people, 
who  were  not  at  the  wedding  thought  they  would  have  a  good 
time  in  the  evening  at  the  picnic  grounds.  Using  planks  they 
made  a  platform  on  the  ground.  The  Watterson  and  Ralston 
boys  furnished  the  music.  Reverend  R.  G.  Smtih  was  the 
pastor  at  that  time  and  was  at  the  wedding.  When  he  came 
home,  he  found  the  young  people  having  a  dance.  He  went 
among  them  and  tried  to  stop  them.  It  was  said  that  some 
of  the  girls  swung  him  around  a  few  times,  and  he  was  glad 
to  retire  to  the  manse.  Dancing  was  considered  at  that  time 
to  be  a  breach  of  the  peace. 

ARGYLE  CREAMERY 
On  December  I,  1884  a  meeting  was  called  to  take  into 
consideration  the  organizing  of  a  stock  company  creamery 
at  Argyle,  Illinois.  It  was  decided  that  the  capital  stock  would 
be  forty-five  hundred  dollars,  being  ninety  shares  at  fifty 
dollars  per  share.  They  applied  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
for  a  charter.  A  charter  and  license  was  granted  to  Hugh 
Andrew,  George  Picken,  and  John  R.  McDonald  as  com- 
missioners. At  a  meeting  held  December  20,  1884.  the 
following  officers  were  elected;  president,  J.  C.  Tripp;  vice- 
president,  David  Andrew;  directors,  James  Greenlee,  Sr.. 
Robert  Henderson,  Joseph  Whalen,  Charles  Brown,  John 
Sullivan,  and  Hugh  Andrew.  The  creamery  manufactured 
the  "Sweet  Heather"  brand  of  butter.  On  September  25. 
1917,  the  Argyle  Creamery  plant  and  dwelling  house  was 
sold  to  the  Union  Dairy  Company,  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  for 


107 

two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  cash.     On  February  8, 

1918,  a  special  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  the  company 

was  held  in  Argyle  Hall  and  the  stockholders  were  paid  their 

stock  with  liberty  bonds.     The  president  and  secretary  were 

authorized  to  take  legal  steps  to  dissolve  the  company.     List 

of  the  officers  of  Argyle  Creamery  Company  from  the  time 

it  was  organized  in  1 884  until  it  was  sold  to  the  Union  Dairy 

Company  of  Rockford,  Illinois,  October  1 ,  1917. 

President  Vice-President  Secretary  Treasurer 

J.  C.  Tripp  David  Andrew  Charles  Andrew    Charles  Andrew 

William  Brown     William  Brown  John  McDonald  Thomas  Andrew 

D.  G.  Harvey  C.  H.  Thornton 

D.  G.  Harvey       Andrew  Smith  Archie  McCradie 

Walter  Wallace 

Managers  and  butter  makers  were  John  McDonald, 
Mathew  Ralston,  C.  H.  Thornton,  Archie  McCraedie,  Mark 
Clark,  William  Harvey,  Archie  McCorvie,  Wendell  Pearson, 
and  Robinson  McCorvie.  The  directors  were  John  Sullivan, 
C.  T.  Brown,  Thomas  Greenlee,  James  Greenlee,  Jr.,  John 
Andrew,  Albert  Griffith,  James  C.  Greenlee,  John  A.  Kelley, 

E.  B.  Reid,  and  George  Brown. 

To  the  young  people  who  are  the  decendants  of  the 
pioneers : 

It  is  for  your  benefit  that  I  have  tried  to  gather  up  the  facts 
of  the  pioneer  days,  that  they  may  not  be  lost  and  forgotten. 
It  was  for  you  they  toiled  and  suffered,  that  they  might  gain 
a  home  in  this  new  land.  You  have  been  left  a  goodly  heri- 
tage, both  temporal  and  spiritual.  Conditions  have  greatly 
changed  since  the  pioneer  days.  There  have  been  great  im- 
provements along  every  line.  There  is  so  much  to  take  our 
minds  away  from  the  serious  side  of  life,  not  that  I  would  put 
anything  in  the  way  of  your  innocent  enjoyment,  that  I  plead 
with  you  to  stand  by  the  principles  laid  down  by  your  ancestors 
in  regard  to  the  church  and  the  Sabbath.  The  pioneers  of  the 
Argyle  Settlement  and  the  founders  of  the  church  have  gone 


108 

to  their  reward.  There  are  now  only  a  few  in  life  who  were 
the  boys  and  girls  of  the  pioneer  days.  We  cherish  their 
memory  as  true  citizens  of  their  adopted  country,  and  strong 
pillars  in  this  new  land  of  God,  for  home,  and  for  humanity. 
Let  us  all  be  faithful  to  the  heritage  God  has  given  us  through 
our  ancestors,  remembering  that  unto  whom  much  is  given,  of 
the  same  much  shall  be  required.  If  in  the  years  to  come, 
young  people  who  may  read  of  the  Argyle  Settlement  in  history 
and  story  will  be  led  to  think  more  of  their  country,  more  of 
their  home,  and  more  of  the  church,  then  we  will  all  feel 
that  this  writing  has  not  been  in  vain. 

D.  G.  Harvey. 
Chapter  XI 

WAR  SPARK  SET  OFF  MORE  THAN  TEN 
YEARS  AGO 

It  was  more  than  ten  years  ago  that  occurred  the  incident 
which  caused  the  greatest  war  of  all  time.  On  June  28,  1914, 
Archduke  Francis  Ferdinand  of  Austria  and  his  wife,  the 
Duchess  of  Hohenberg,  were  shot  and  instantly  killed  by  a 
student  named  Gavrilo  Prinzip  in  Sarajevo,  Bosnia.  The 
murder  of  the  Archduke,  who  was  heir  to  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  throne,  was  laid  to  a  plot  by  Serbia,  which  wished 
to  annex  Bosnia,  and  following  Serbia's  failure  to  apologize 
to  Austria-Hungary,  as  demanded  in  a  forty-eight-hour  ulti- 
matum, the  whole  of  Europe,  nation  by  nation,  was  plunged 
into  the  war. 

On  May  7,  1915  the  Lusitania,  a  British  ship  carrying 
American  passengers,  was  sunk  without  warning  off  the  coast 
of  Ireland  by  a  German  submarine.  This  was  the  cause  of  a 
great  loss  of  life  and  was  the  beginning  of  hostilities  between 
the  United  States  and  Germany.  On  the  thirty-first  of 
January,  1917,  Germany  announced  ruthless  submarine  war- 
fare. Following  this  the  United  States  severed  diplomatic 
relations  with  Germany.     April  second  and  fourth,  Congress 


109 

and  the  Senate  passed  resolutions  on  and  President  Wilson, 
Commander  in  chief  of  the  U.  S.  Army  and  Navy,  declared 
war  between  the  United  States  and  Germany.  April  seven- 
teenth Congress  passed  a  seven  billion  war  bond,  also  the 
conscription  bill.  On  May  4,  1917,  the  first  squadron  of  the 
U.  S.  Navy  reached  England.  Conscription  registration  day 
in  the  states  was  on  June  5,  1917.  The  American  marines 
reached  the  front  at  Chateau  Thierry,  June  2,  1918. 

Following  the  declaration  of  war  between  the  United  States 
and  Germany  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  Rockford,  111., 
sent  a  committee  to  Washington,  D.  C,  to  present  their  claim 
for  a  United  States  training  camp  to  be  located  near  Rockford, 
Illinois.  In  this  they  were  successful  and  the  name  given  was 
Camp  Grant.  It  was  located  between  Rockford  and  the  village 
of  New  Mil  ford.  The  United  States  Government  leased  four 
thousand  acres  of  land  for  camp  purposes.  Later  they  leased 
three  thousand  acres  for  a  rifle  range.  The  first  troops  came  to 
Camp  Grant  in  June,  1917.  Approximately  one  million  men 
were  trained  and  discharged  through  Camp  Grant.  At  one  time 
there  were  seven  thousand  mules  and  forty-five  hundred  artillery 
horses  at  the  camp.  The  camp  cost  approximately  fourteen  mil- 
lion, five  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  built  and  in  1923  the  U. 
S.  Government  gave  over  Camp  Grant  to  the  State  of  Illinois 
for  a  training  camp  for  the  State  guards  on  condition  that  in 
the  event  of  another  war,  it  was  to  be  returned  to  the  United 
States  Government  for  the  use  of  the  regular  army.  The 
Illinois  Legislature  has  appropriated  $225,000,  to  erect  suit- 
able buildings  for  the  use  of  the  State  Guards. 

THE  ELEVENTH  OF  NOVEMBER 
The  eleventh  of  November  nineteen  hundred  and  eighteen, 
Was  the  happiest  day  on  record, 
That  the  world  had  ever  seen. 
If  you  search  back  in  your  memory, 
I  think  that  you  will  find, 


110 

It  was  this  most  eventful  day 
The  armistice  was  signed. 
How  we  waited,  how  we  listened 
For  the  deep  toned  whistle's  blast, 
That  would  tell  us  war  had  ended 
And  sweet  peace  would  reign  at  last. 
And  when  at  last  we  heard  it, 
We  went  out  in  the  night. 
And  the  sun  rose  in  its  glory, 
And  again  it  sank  from  sight, 
Ere  we  ceased  our  wild  thanksgiving 
That  Fate  had  been  so  kind. 
And  at  last  the  war  had  ended 
And  the  armistice  was  signed. 

Lola  D.  Sherman, 
Rockford,  November  10,  1919. 

The  following  interesting  clippings  and  letters  are  of  young 
men  who  served  in  the  World  War  and  are  friends  or  relatives 
of  the  families  mentioned  in  the  Argyle  Settlement  in  History 
and  Story. 

From  The  Register -Gazette 

LANGWILL  SLAIN  AT  HEAD  OF  HIS  MEN 
Killed  by  machine  gun  fire  at  the  head  of  his  men  was  the 
fate  of  Major  William  G.  Langwill  of  Rockford,  an  account 
of  which  is  given  in  a  letter  to  the  Major's  widow  from  Capt. 
L.  C.  Beebe,  adjutant  of  the  30th  infantry. 

"I  was  adjutant  of  the  30th  regiment,"  Captain  Beebe  says, 
"during  the  entire  Argonne-Meuse  action  and  knew  Major 
Langwill  very  well.  He  was  in  command  of  the  third  bat- 
talion, 30th  infantry,  when  we  entered  into  the  Argonne  action. 
The  second  and  third  battalions  made  the  initial  attack  against 
the  Bois  de  Cunel  and  Madeleine  Farm,  two  very  strong 
enemy  positions,  and  took  and  cleared  both  of  the  enemy. 


Ill 

Beyond,  the  northern  edge  of  the  Bois  de  Cunel,  out  in  the 
open,  was  a  well  defended  system  of  trenches.  Our  entire 
resources  were  used  in  taking  these  trenches.  Needless  to  say, 
the  air  was  filled  with  bursting  shrapnel,  high  explosives  and 
machine  gun  bullets,  particularly  the  latter.  Major  Langwill 
was  well  in  advance,  too  far  up  for  the  safety  of  a  battalion 
commander,  directing  operations  in  connection  with  this  attack, 
when  he  was  killed  by  machine  gun  fire. 

"Speaking  as  the  adjutant  of  this  command  and  knowing 
that  I  voice  the  sentiments  of  the  others  who  knew  him,  we 
were  deeply  grieved  over  the  loss  of  an  excellent  officer  and  a 
thorough  gentleman,  one  who  was  respected  and  admired 
by  the  entire  regiment. 

"Major  Langwill  was  buried  on  the  hill  just  south  of  the 
village  of  Cunel  near  the  place  where  he  met  his  death." 

Major  Langwill  was  the  son  of  J.  S.  Langwill  of  this  city 
and  passed  his  early  life  here.  His  widow  resides  in  Aurora. 
They  have  an  infant  daughter  whom  Major  Langwill  never 
saw. 

From  The  Morning  Star 

MAJOR  LANGWILL  GIVES  HIS  LIFE  TO  CAUSE 

OF  LIBERTY 

The  nobility  of  death  in  victorious  action  for  the  cause  of 
liberty  has  been  conferred  on  Major  William  G.  Langwill  of 
the  30th  Infantry,  Third  Division,  who  is  reported  killed  in 
battle  in  France  on  October  4,  according  to  a  telegram  from 
the  war  department  at  Washington  which  was  received  yester- 
day by  his  father,  James  S.  Langwill  of  1413  West  State 
Street. 

Major  Langwill  began  his  military  career  ten  years  ago, 
when  he  was  commissioned  lieutenant  in  the  United  States 
regular  army.  He  was  first  assigned  to  Fort  Sheridan  and 
then  was  assigned  to  the  Philippines,  where  he  spent  a  num- 
ber of  years.     He  served  on  the  Mexican  border  and  the  fol- 


112 

lowing  year  was  detailed  as  professor  of  military  science  and 
tactics  at  Iowa  State  College,  from  which  he  was  graduated. 
Later  he  was  sent  to  Fort  Snelling  as  instructor  in  the  officers' 
training  camp.  From  there  he  was  assigned  to  command  at 
Flat  River,  Mo.  In  January  of  1918  he  was  sent  to  Camp 
Greene,  North  Carolina,  and  in  April  was  assigned  to  the 
30th  Infantry,  which  sailed  for  France  in  that  month. 

Deceased  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  thirty-seven 
years  ago.  His  widow  is  at  present  with  her  parents  in 
Aurora.  His  name  heads  the  honor  roll  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian church  of  Rockford.  The  fallen  soldier  was  a  knightly 
gentleman,  who  was  clean  and  loyal  in  every  relation  of  his 
spotless  life.  None  knew  him  but  to  respect  him  as  one  of  the 
finest  of  the  splendid  types  of  manhood  serving  under  the 
Stars  and  Stripes. 

"The  fittest  place  where  man  can  die  in  where  he  dies  for 
man." 

STATEMENT  OF  WAR  SERVICE  IN  WAR 
1914-1918. 

Entered  2nd  Officers'  Training  Camp  at  Fort  Sheridan, 
Illinois,  Aug.  27,  1917.  Was  commissioned  a  First  Lieu- 
tenant in  the  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  16,  1917. 
Spent  seven  weeks  in  Signal  School  at  Little  Silver,  N.  J. 

Sailed  from  New  York  for  Liverpool,  England,  January 
13,  1918  and  landed  Jan.  21,  1918.  Landed  at  LeHavre, 
France,  January  25,  1918.  Served  with  artillery  till  Armistice 
was  signed  then  had  charge  of  Signal  Corps  construction  in 
Bordeaux  area  and  later  turned  over  the  Signal  Corps  prop- 
erty in  this  area  to  the  French  Army. 

Was  promoted  to  Captain,  May  15,  1919,  and  sailed  from 
Brest,  Aug.  30,  1919,  landing  in  New  York,  Sept.  10,  1919 
after  20  months  service  with  the  American  Expeditionary 
Forces. 

I  was  discharged  from  the  army  Sept.  12,  1919. 


113 

Just  before  sailing  I  obtained  a  two  weeks  leave  which  I 
spent  in  Scotland  and  England.  Most  of  this  time  was  spent 
in  and  around  Campbeltown  in  the  country  known  as  Kintyre. 

Stuart  A.  Ralston. 
Dec.  28,  1919. 

Glen  Ralston  enlisted  March  25,  1918  in  the  coast  defence 
and  was  sent  to  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri,  for  training. 
From  there  he  was  sent  to  Fort  Scott,  San  Francisco,  Cali- 
fornia and  was  later  sent  overseas.  While  in  France  he  was 
connected  with  the  first  Army  Corps  Artillery.  He  was  dis- 
charged at  Camp  Grant,  March  25,  1919. 

Lester  Segerlund  enlisted  March  25,  1918  and  was  sent 
to  Jefferson  Barracks,  Missouri.  His  company  was  on  board 
the  transport  ready  to  go  overseas  when  peace  was  declared. 
He  was  discharged  and  arrived  home  January  1,  1919. 

The  young  men  who  enlisted  in  the  Students'  Training 
School  were  Welcome  Andrew,  in  the  Radio  schodi  at 
Evanston,  Illinois,  Elvin  Brown,  Robert  Cummings,  and 
Harold  Houser  at  the  University  of  Champaign,  Illinois. 
Abner  Armour  enlisted  in  the  Students'  Training  School  at 
Ames,  Iowa. 

Willie  Kelley,  of  Manchester,  who  was  in  class  one,  selec- 
tive draft,  was  sent  to  Camp  Hancock,  Georgia,  for  training. 
His  company  was  sent  to  Camp  Custer  where  he  was  dis- 
charged. He  arrived  home  Sunday  morning,  December  29, 
1918. 

JAMES  R.  GREENLEE  WRITES  LETTER  OF  HIS 
ADVENTURES 
Argyle  Soldier  Has  Many  Narrow  Escapes 
On  Battle  Fronts  Of  France. 
"James  R.  Greenlee  of  Argyle,  has  written  his  sister  of 
that  village  from  Weiburn,  Germany,  telling  of  his  experiences 
in  France.     He  is  a  member  of  company  M,  39th  infantry, 
A.  E.  F.     Extracts  of  his  letter  follows : 


114 

Weibern,  Germany. 

"Dear  Sister:  I  got  five  letters  a  few  days  ago  and  a  day 
or  two  afterward  got  four  more. 

"I  had  to  change  places  again  as  another  company  took 
over  some  of  our  buildings.  I  am  in  a  good  place,  only 
haven't  a  bed  but  a  mattress  on  the  floor.  I  am  in  the  same 
building  as  the  mail  clerk  and  there  are  plenty  of  fellows  in 
to  see  if  there  is  any  mail  for  them,  or  else  coming  in  to  mail 
their  letters.  Quite  a  few  are  sending  souvenirs  home  now. 
Some  are  sending  helmets  that  they  have  carried  for  a  long 
time. 

"I  never  answered  that  information  blank  you  sent  a  while 
ago.  There  are  some  fellows  writing  the  history  of  the  39th 
and  I  have  been  waiting  until  I  could  see  one  of  them,  but 
they  have  not  finished  yet,  so  I  will  give  some  dope  now  and 
if  I  get  a  hold  of  the  history  I  will  try  and  copy  some  of  it. 
ENLISTED  OCT.  4,  1917 

"I  entered  Camp  Grant  October  4,  1917,  left  Camp  Grant 
for  Camp  Greene,  March  6,  1918,  and  left  for  overseas  May 
10th,  arriving  May  23,  1918.  The  name  of  the  ship  was  the 
Lenape.  The  division  trained  at  Camp  Greene.  The  date  of 
the  first  battle  we  were  in,  that  is  we  were  in  the  front  lines 
those  day,  July  18,  19,  and  20,  the  Marne  counter  offensive 
(with  the  6th  French  army).  The  second  dates  are  August 
4,  5,  6  on  the  Chateau  Thierry  front  on  the  Vesle  river. 
IN  ARGONE  BATTLE 

"The  third  battle,  September  26,  27,  28,  and  29,  in  the 
Argonne  Forest,  and  October  8,  9,  10  and  12  at  the  same 
place,  as  we  had  to  relieve  the  outfit  that  was  on  the  front. 
During  the  time  between  the  last  two  dates  we  were  held  in 
reserve  just  back  of  the  lines,  but  still  under  shell  fire. 

"If  I  get  hold  of  that  history  I  will  try  and  send  some  of  it 
home.  I  didn't  keep  anything  but  dates.  We  started  on  the 
march  into  Germany,  November  19  or  20th,  I  don't  remember 


115 

which.  I  don't  know  much  of  anything  to  write  unless  I  tell 
of  one  of  the  hottest  places  I  was  in  on  the  afternoon  of 
August  5th.  The  platoon  I  belonged  to  went  over  the  top 
with  some  other  companies.  We  had  nearly  forty  men  when 
we  started  and  the  next  morning  when  they  got  the  company 
assembled  there  were  only  fourteen  of  the  platoon  there  to 
report  and  only  three  of  the  squad  I  was  in.  A  lot  got 
wounded  and  quite  a  few  were  killed.  I  always  think  I  came 
out  of  it  mighty  lucky  although  I  have  had  lots  of  just  as  close 
calls  at  other  times.  I  am  wondering  if  you  have  received 
the  field  glasses  I  sent  when  I  was  on  my  pass.  I  never  got 
that  box  you  said  you  sent  me  through  Marshall  Field's  from 
Paris.  Maybe  it  got  broken  and  somebody  just  helped  them- 
selves. I  just  bought  a  three  mark  piece.  It  is  about  the  size 
of  our  half  dollars,  a  little  bigger.  They  don't  use  silver  any 
more  only  paper,  as  they  were  supposed  to  turn  in  all  the  gold 
and  silver. 

IRON  CROSSES  CHEAP 

"When  we  first  came  into  Germany  the  boys  commenced 
buying  iron  crosses  and  paying  big  prices  for  them  but  now  we 
can  buy  them  in  the  stores  for  about  a  fourth  of  what  they 
started  to  pay  for  them." 

Mr.  J.  R.  Greenlee  arrived  at  Camp  Grant,  Illinois, 
August  12th  and  was  discharged  the  following  day,  August 
13,  1919. 

MAC  MAKES  HIS  FIRST  FLIGHT  ALONE 

"Wilbur  H.  McEachran,  formerly  of  The  Star  now  in  the 
aviation  training  at  Mount  Clemens,  Mich.,  had  his  first  ex- 
perience flying  the  other  day. 

"In  a  letter  to  local  friends,  he  tells  of  his  first  flight  as 
follows : 

"I  went  up  a  couple  of  times  with  our  major  Saturday 
morning  and  handled  the  levers  without  a  hitch,  making  a 
half  dozen  landings.     When  we  came  down  the  last  time  the 


116 

major  said,  'Now  take  her  up  alone.' 

"Well,  I  went  up  about  2,000  feet  and  turned  around  al- 
right and  began  to  feel  better.  I  don't  know  just  how  high 
I  was,  but  I  just  took  a  chance  in  landing  and  my  judgment 
was  o.  k.,  for  I  cut  off  my  motor  at  just  the  right  spot.  The 
landing  is  just  like  the  motion  of  a  bird  and  I  hardly  felt  the 
bump  when  pulling  up  on  the  ground.  I'm  slated  to  go  up 
2,500  feet  Wednesday  morning  if  the  air  currents  are  right." 

WINS  COMMISSION 

"Wilbur  McEachran,  son  of  Mrs.  Sarah  McEachran, 
939  North  Court  street,  has  won  a  commission  as  a  lieutenant 
in  the  flying  section  of  the  aviation  corps  at  Gerstner  Field, 
Lake  Charles,  La.  After  another  month  he  will  be  granted 
a  ten-day  furlough  before  a  transfer  is  made." 

LT.  WILBUR  M'EACHRAN  ARRIVED  HOME 
TUESDAY 
"Lieutenant  Wilbur  H.  McEachran,  son  of  Mrs.  Sarah 
McEachran,  939  North  Court  street,  arrived  home  last  night 
from  an  eastern  camp,  having  received  his  discharge  from  the 
army  after  nearly  two  years  of  service.  Lieut.  McEachran 
entered  the  service  on  June  16,  1917,  being  assigned  to  the 
signal  corps,  later  entering  the  aviation  service.  He  went  to 
France  in  March,  1918,  and  was  stationed  at  Orly,  from 
which  place  he  took  planes  to  the  front.  Lieut.  McEachran 
was  circulation  manager  for  The  Star  for  several  years  before 
entering  the  service." 

McEACHRAN  DISCHARGED 
"Private  T.  E.  McEachran,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel 
McEachran,  1317  Harlem  boulevard,  has  been  discharged 
from  the  service.  He  enlisted  in  August,  1918,  entering  the 
Harrison  Technical  school  for  mechanics  in  Chicago.  After 
completing  his  course  there  he  was  sent  to  Fort  Sheridan." 


117 

WORK  IN  FRANCE  IS  DESCRIBED  BY  D.  C. 
RALSTON 

Caledonia  Boy  Says  That  The  Hardest 
Things  Have  Been  Overcome. 

"Mrs.  J.  R.  Ralston  of  Caledonia,  has  received  a  very 
interesting  letter  from  her  son,  D.  C.  Ralston,  Co.  C.  307th 
Field  Signal  Battalion,  with  the  American  Ex.  Forces.  The 
letter  follows: 

"I  received  mother's  letter  dated  September  1st,  today, 
along  with  one  from  Aunt  Mary.  They  were  both  good 
letters  and  I  enjoyed  getting  them.  Home  news  certainly  is 
a  fine  tonic  for  a  soldier.  Not  that  I  am  sick  or  homesick,  but 
there  is  always  that  happy  desire  of  getting  home.  I  am 
writing  home  at  least  once  a  week  unless  work  interferes.  I 
do  not  think  I  missed  very  many.  You  should  get  mail  from 
me  at  least  every  two  or  three  weeks  in  most  cases.  Of  course 
there  are  times  here  when  the  mail  doesn't  get  out  to  our 
division  for  days.  Then  it  goes  to  the  base  censor  and  finally 
to  the  ships.  Ships  don't  sail  every  day  with  mail  so  the  speed 
is  slow.  It  might  be  improved,  in  my  opinion.  Our  mail  al- 
ways comes  in  bunches. 

"I  am  still  feeling  fine.  Have  had  some  real  army  life 
lately,  but  it  left  me  as  good  as  ever.  I  can  sleep  any  place, 
in  any  position  now.  Recently  I  rode  sixteen  hours  in  a  truck 
with  a  couple  of  sandwiches  for  a  meal  the  entire  trip.  Landed 
in  a  village  at  3  a.  m.  Hiked  for  an  hour  and  found  our- 
selves in  a  big  forest.  Here  we  fell  out  for  the  remainder  of 
the  night,  or  morning,  as  it  was  about  four  or  four  thirty.  I 
just  put  on  my  overcoat,  lay  on  the  ground  and  was  soon  having 
a  good  sleep.  It  is  cold  over  here  in  the  nights,  but  it  didn't 
bother  me  at  all.  I  never  take  my  clothes  off  unless  we  are 
back  on  rest.  My  shoes  and  leggins  I  generally  get  off, 
however. 

"Our  organizatoin  has  a  mighty  fine  lot  of  fellows.     A 


118 

bunch  hard  to  beat.  Their  friendship  means  much  and  I 
would  hate  to  leave  them.  One  of  the  fellows  has  just  been 
sent  to  officers'  training  over  here.  His  name  is  Roberts  and 
he  lives  in  Madison.  His  father  worked  for  the  C.  &  N.  W. 
and  often  came  to  Caledonia.  He  was  a  line  foreman  and  I 
think  father  probably  knew  him. 

"I  would  like  to  be  home  and  see  your  chickens  and  also 
have  a  nice  dinner  of  one  or  two  or  more.  Sometimes  I  think 
I  could  eat  a  good  many.  Eggs  I  get  once  in  a  while.  In 
fact,  a  week  ago  today  I  had  plenty  of  eggs.  I  am  sure  it 
won't  be  as  long  before  I  can  get  a  real  home  meal  as  it  has 
been  since  I  left.  It  will  soon  be  one  year.  Short,  yet  long, 
happy,  yet  sad;  eventful  and  educational,  a  wonderful  ex- 
perience; something  not  to  be  forgotten.  One  of  dark,  but 
now  the  brightest  of  all  four  years  for  the  allies.  We  have 
overcome  the  hardest  things  and  are  now  going  on  in  quick 
and  powerful  strides.  Germany  is  doomed.  We  are  the 
victors  and  before  many  months  the  final  battle  will  be  fought. 
The  U.  S.  is  a  late  entry  but  a  strong  factor  at  the  wire. 

"Did  you  ever  get  the  shell  I  sent  home?  I  mailed  it  in 
August  sometime.    It  should  be  there  by  now." 

DOINGS  IN  FRANCE  ARE  DESCRIBED  BY 

L.  W.  PENNIMAN 

Tells  Of  Passing  Between  German  And 

British  Lines  In  Dense  Fog. 

"Dr.  and  Mrs.  David  B.  Penniman,  1242  North  Main 
street,  have  received  an  interesting  letter  from  their  son, 
Sergeant  L.  W.  Penniman,  who  is  with  Motor  Truck  Co.  369, 
an  emergency  outfit  in  active  service.  The  letter  is  as  follows : 
"My  Dear  folks: 

"The  news  has  been  so  good  of  late  that  I  feel  as  though 
it  was  nearly  time  to  fatten  up  the  calf.  We,  meaning  the  A. 
E.  F.,  are  all  wonderfully  optimistic  and  predict  a  quick  ter- 
mination of  the  affair.    With  the  others,  I  am  wondering  how 


119 

long  it  will  be  after  the  righting  is  over  until  they  start  sending 
us  home.  Of  course,  I  don't  know  anything  about  it,  but  I 
somehow  feel  that  next  year  at  this  time  mother  will  be  sound- 
ing reveille  for  me. 

"For  awhile  I  envied  the  fellows  of  my  old  company  who 
stayed  in  the  states,  for  practically  all  of  them  received  com- 
missions in  some  branch  of  the  service.  Now,  however,  that 
things  are  going  so  nicely  I  rather  feel  sorry  for  them,  as  they 
will  never  get  a  chance  to  see  any  action.  I  doubt  if  many 
of  them  will  even  get  over  there.  Against  their  commissions  I 
have  seen  something  of  all  the  fighting  that  has  been  going  on 
since  last  spring.  As  I  have  explained  in  some  of  my  previous 
letters,  we  are  a  reserve  outfit.  In  fact,  we  are  known  as  The 
Mallet  Reserves,  and  we  go  wherever  there  is  an  emergency. 
It  was  in  the  performance  of  our  duty  that  I  was  up  where 
the  Germans  first  tried  to  break  through  this  last  spring.  We 
went  between  the  German's  and  the  English  lines  at  one  time. 
We  didn't  know  it,  however,  and  evidently  the  Germans  didn't 
either.  While  we  were  there  we  heartily  cursed  a  dense  fog 
that  made  it  almost  impossible  to  see.  Little  did  we  know  what 
it  was  doing  for  us.  We  found  out  later  and  took  back 
everything. 

YANKS  AT  CHATEAU  THIERRY 

"I  was  at  the  gas  attack  that  the  Germans  started  their  sec- 
ond offensive  with  and  I  helped  to  evacuate  the  towns  in  the 
path  of  the  advance.  Several  times  we  pulled  out  one  side  of 
a  town  as  the  advance  guards  of  the  enemy  were  coming  in 
the  other.  I  know  very  well  how  discouraging  it  is  to  keep 
retreating  and  retreating.  When  things  looked  pretty  blue 
the  Marines  stepped  in  at  Chateau  Thierry  and  blocked  the 
advance.  You  can't  imagine  what  a  thrill  it  gave  us  to  hear 
that  the  Americans  had  turned  the  trick.  To  have  it  turned 
at  all  was  a  wonderful  boost,  but  to  have  it  done  by  the  'Yanks' 
was  the  phsychological  thing.     Everybody  had  been  waiting 


120 

to  see  how  they  would  be  and  they  were  better  than  the  best. 
We  had  been  telling  the  French  we  are  with  to  wait  until  our 
men  got  in  the  line,  that  they  would  stay  with  the  best,  and 
how  our  assertions  were  proved  you  well  know.  Then  when 
they  began  to  push  the  Boche  back  everybody  picked  up 
marvelously.  You  could  see  and  feel  the  change  everywhere. 
All  the  allies  seemed  to  feel  that  help  was  really  at  hand  and 
went  at  things  with  renewed  energy  and  courage.  We  had 
to  work  most  awfully  hard  to  keep  things  up  with  the  advance, 
but  we  were  only  too  willing  to  do  that. 

"Since  that  second  advance  we  have  been  rolling  most  all 
the  time,  that  is,  the  camions  were,  for  we  had  to  run  the  men 
in  shifts  as  nobody  could  have  stood  the  pace  all  the  time. 
The  camions  would  come  in  and  the  relief  would  climb  on 
and  away  we  would  go.  Now  we  are  having  a  comparatively 
quiet  time  and  we  most  certainly  do  need  it  to  fix  up  the  trucks, 
which  were  pretty  well  run  down. 

"In  the  work  I  have  been  on  almost  every  sector  on  the 
western  front  for  a  time  at  least,  so  I  know  practically  all  of 
the  country  that  is  being  or  was  fought  over  as  well  as  I  know 
the  country  around  Rockford.  I  believe  I  know  some  of  it 
better,  for  I  had  to  go  over  a  lot  of  it  in  the  dark,  without  the 
sign  of  a  light. 

"The  whole  thing  has  been  a  wonderful  experience  and  I 
wouldn't  have  missed  it  for  anything,  but  I  am  perfectly  will- 
nig  to  have  old  Bill  cave  in  any  time  and  I  look  for  it  any 
time.  It  is  to  my  mind  only  a  question  of  having  good 
weather  for  a  little  while  longer  and  they  will  be  playing 
'Yankee  Doodle'  under  the  Linden,  and  'Homeward  Bound' 
for  an  encore." 

Lawrence  W.  Pennaman. 

Thomas  J.  Ralston  enlisted  in  Company  K,  131  Infantry 
and  was  in  training  at  Camp  Houston,  Texas.  May  first  he 
went  with  his  company  to  France,  was  gassed  at  the  front  and 


121 

was  sent  to  a  hospital  in  France.  He  later  recovered  and  was 
sent  back  to  his  Company  K,  1 29  Infantry,  A.  E.  F.  on  the 
Rhine,  Germany.  The  following  letter  was  received  by  his 
father : 

On  active  service  American  Red  Cross  with  the 
AMERICAN  EXPEDITIONARY  FORCE 

U.  S.  Base  Hospital  89,  November  22,  1918. 

Dear  Father: 

If  I  wrote  all  that  happened  to  me  since  I  wrote  the  last 
time  it  would  take  quite  a  few  sheets  of  paper  so  I  won't  do 
that.  I  guess  I  did  not  write  when  I  first  went  up  on  the 
Verdun  front.  We  were  there  when  the  drive  started  but  did 
not  go  over  the  first  morning.  That  morning  was  as  pretty  a 
sight  as  I  ever  saw  when  the  barrage  opened  up  before  day- 
light. It  sounded  as  though  there  were  around  a  million  guns 
fro  mthe  racket  that  was  raised,  one  steady  roar,  couldn't  even 
tell  when  a  battery  of  75's  next  to  us  was  going  off.  Our 
artillery  had  Heinie  smothered  alright,  as  at  the  place  where 
we  were  only  three  shells  came  back.  As  for  fire  works  it 
put  it  all  over  any  Fourth  celebration,  the  flash  of  the  guns 
and  exploding  shells.  By  daylight  the  prisoners  started  coming 
back,  big  bunches  of  them  with  one  guard  in  front  and  one 
behind.  Generally  the  guards  were  wounded  men.  There 
was  some  activity  in  the  air  also,  both  sides  having  all  their 
balloons  up  and  hundreds  of  planes,  machine  gunning,  bomb- 
ing, and  burning  balloons.  I  saw  many  a  plane  brought  down 
that  day  in  flames,  some  weren't  on  fire,  and  battled  single 
and  in  squadrons.  The  ground  among  the  German  trenches 
was  all  torn  up  and  the  trenches  caved  in.  These  trenches 
were  the  first  ones  that  I  saw  that  looked  like  anything  I  once 
pictured  a  trench  should  be.  They  had  board  walks,  wire 
netting  on  the  side  to  hold  the  dirt,  and  sand  bagged  parapets. 
The  machine  gun  implacements  were  of  concrete.  Several  pill 
boxes  were  hid  in  good  places,  and  they  were  hid  too  as  you 


122 

didn't  see  them  until  on  top  of  them.  Fritz  believes  in  having 
deep  dugouts  too,  and  many  of  them,  most  of  them  being  about 
thirty  feet.  I  have  been  in  the  British  and  French  fronts. 
The  British  will  make  anything  do  for  shelter  and  the  French 
had  the  daintiest  system  of  trenches  and  dugouts  of  any.  We 
would  use  anything  for  shelter  and  if  it  had  three  or  four  feet 
of  dirt  on  top  feel  safe  and  lots  better  than  in  deep  places. 
When  one  gets  out  of  a  deep  hole  he  has  more  dread  of  getting 
under  fire  than  where  he  is  nearly  all  the  time.  The  Germans 
are  thorough  and  had  the  stuff  to  fight  with.  Their  narrow 
gage  railroads  ran  to  the  hills  just  in  back  of  their  front  lines 
and  all  their  artillery  was  supplied  that  way.  We  captured 
ammunition  and  guns  of  all  kinds  from  machine  to  an  eighteen 
inch  howitzer.  The  guns,  of  course,  had  the  breach  blocks 
blown  off.  We  also  got  hold  of  a  lot  of  fine  instruments  for 
range  finding,  etc.  A  hospital  that  we  got  hold  of  had  a  great 
supply  of  medical  material.  Some  officers  must  have  lived 
good  as  a  big  pen  of  rabbits  was  left  behind  which  made  fine 
fresh  meat.  During  a  drive  like  that  nothing  could  move  on 
the  roads  except  ammunition  trucks  and  ambulances,  so  the 
rolling  kitchens  were  left  away  at  the  rear  and  we  lived  on  our 
emergency  rations  for  a  good  many  days.  The  woods  and 
hills  that  we  went  through  and  over  took  a  lot  of  hard  work 
but  we  did  it.  We  were  stationed  for  a  few  days  along  the 
Meuse  River  while  waiting  for  the  line  to  be  brought  up  on 
one  of  our  flanks  and  while  there  we  got  everything  Fritz  had. 
A  little  valley  that  we  were  in,  he  flooded  with  gas  and  shells. 
When  we  started  again  we  crossed  the  River  and  took  hills  on 
the  other  side.  I  got  mine  this  time  and  had  to  be  evacuated 
and  after  several  days  came  down  here  which  is  practically  the 
geographical  center  of  France. 

It  don't  look  as  though  I  will  be  staying  here  very  long  and 
where  the  next  I  land  I  don't  know.  This  is  your  Christ- 
mas letter  if  it  is  two  or  three  days  early.     I  am  going  to  send 


123 

it  home  as  you  will  get  it  just  as  soon  and  maybe  faster  than  if 
I  sent  it  up  where  you  are  working.  There  is  no  need  of  your 
writing  after  you  get  this  as  I  don't  think  it  will  be  long  before 
starting  back  home  and  if  it  is  I  can  stand  it  a  while  longer. 
I  wish  you  a  merry  Christmas  and  Happy  New  Year. 

Your  son, 
Thomas. 
Corp.  Thos.  J.  Ralston 
Co.  K.  129th  Inf.  A.  E.  F. 

Hugh  T.  Andrew,  who  was  in  class  one,  selective  draft, 
was  called  to  report  at  Camp  Grant,  Rockford,  Illinois,  May 
25,  1918.  From  there  he  was  sent  to  Camp  Custer,  Michigan, 
from  there  to  a  training  camp  in  Florida,  and  later  was  sent 
overseas.  His  work  in  the  army  was  driving  an  ammunition 
supply  truck  at  the  front.  He  experienced  active  service  in 
France,  Belgium,  and  Germany.  He  arrived  at  Camp  Grant, 
August  1 0,  and  was  discharged. 

Rhol,  Germany. 
December  4,  1918. 
Dear  Mother, 

It  has  been  about  one  week  or  ten  days  since  I  have  written 
and  I  have  been  travelling  most  of  the  time.  I  just  found  out 
the  other  day  that  any  of  our  mail  hasn't  gone  out  since  the 
letter  I  wrote  on  November  12,  so  if  you  don't  get  my  letters 
regular  you  will  know  why.  I  sent  a  lot  of  Christmas  cards  on 
the  twenty-sixth  of  November.  You  ought  to  get  them  at 
Christmas  time  alright.  When  we  first  reached  France  we 
stayed  at  Brest  three  days,  then  got  on  the  train  and  rode  for 
six  days  and  nights  till  we  reached  Souilly.  We  got  on  trucks 
and  rode  about  one  hour,  then  got  off  in  a  woods  and  camped 
for  the  night.  It  rained  all  that  night.  In  the  morning  we 
moved  a  little  further  and  camped  for  about  three  or  four 
days.  We  got  twenty-five  trucks,  two-ton  Pierce  Arrows. 
We  moved  back  to  Souilly  the  next  day.     Spent  two  or  three 


124 

days  oiling  and  greasing  the  trucks.  Then  we  started  in  work- 
ing and  have  been  at  it  ever  since.  We  hauled  ammunition 
till  the  last  week  of  the  war.  We  would  load  our  trucks  in  the 
day  time  with  ammunition  then  at  night  we  would  go  up  to 
the  guns  with  our  load.  We  have  been  within  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  of  the  German  front  line.  We  have  been  under  shell 
fire,  gun  shells,  rifle  fire,  and  fired  on  from  airplanes,  but  I 
haven't  been  touched  with  any  kind  of  shells  or  rifle  fire. 
We  had  to  drive  without  lights  and  there  were  some  of  the 
blackest  nights  I  was  ever  out  in.  We  always  travelled  in 
convoys.  Sometimes  we  had  thirty  or  more  trucks  in  a  train. 
We  have  been  out  as  high  as  sixty  hours  with  only  five  hours 
sleep  and  only  two  meals  in  all  that  time.  But  there  were  not 
many  times  we  were  out  that  long.  I  can  tell  you  more  about  it 
when  I  get  home.  We  stayed  at  Souilly  about  two  months, 
then  moved  to  Suhesme  LeGrand.  We  stayed  there  about 
one  week  then  moved  to  Monzaville,  stayed  there  about  two 
or  three  weeks,  then  to  Romange.  We  were  there  on  Novem- 
ber 1  1 ,  and  you  ought  to  have  heard  the  yelling  when  the 
news  come  in  that  the  war  was  over.  It  started  away  up  the 
line  and  came  down.  We  could  hear  it  for  quite  a  while  be- 
fore we  knew  what  it  was  all  about.  When  we  heard  what 
it  was  we  yelled  too  and  passed  it  on.  We  left  Romange 
around  the  twentieth  and  last  night  was  the  first  time  I  slept 
under  a  roof.  I  slept  on  the  seat  of  the  truck  all  that 
time.  It  was  just  the  right  length  and  I  slept  fine  and  warm. 
From  there  we  went  to  Longwy,  France,  stayed  there  a  couple 
of  days  then  moved  to  Lintgen  in  Luxembourg.  We  crossed 
the  boundary  line  between  France  and  Belgium  and  into 
Luxembourg  all  in  the  same  day.  Stayed  at  Lintgen  a  few 
days.  Then  we  moved  to  Berdorf  and  stayed  there  a  few 
days.  Myself  and  two  other  trucks  left  there  on  the  second 
of  December  and  have  been  travelling  about  all  over  Germany 
since,  looking  for  gasoline.     We  crossed  the  line  at  Echter- 


125 

nack,  Luxembourg.  We  have  travelled  about  150  miles  and 
are  going  to  start  out  this  morning,  December  5,  and  go  to 
Trier  to  see  if  we  can  get  some  there.  The  gas  cars  seem  to 
change  their  routes  after  we  start  but  we  can't  get  word  of  it 
until  we  reach  the  place  we  were  told  to  go  and  get  it.  You 
said  in  one  of  your  letters  that  you  had  a  map  of  the  battle 
front.  If  you  have  find  Verdun,  then  you  can  find  Souilly  and 
get  some  idea  where  we  were  while  we  were  still  fighting.  We 
have  been  in  most  all  the  little  towns  that  were  captured  and 
most  of  them  you  would  hardly  know  that  there  was  a  town 
there,  nothing  but  a  few  walls  standing,  all  shot  to  pieces. 
Our  destination  in  Germany  is  Coblence.  I  think  that  is  the 
way  to  spell  it.  From  there  I  think  we  go  home  but  I  don't 
know.  Do  you  know  if  Jim  or  Tom  are  going  through 
Germany?  I  am  having  the  best  trip  of  my  life  and  never  felt 
better  in  my  life.     They  say  I  am  getting  fat. 

Goodbye, 

Hugh  T.  Andrew, 
Motor  Truck  Co.  No.  451, 
Motor  Supply  Train  No.  415, 
A.  E.  F. 

Kenneth  McKay  of  Delhi,  Minnesota,  enlisted  in  the 
regular  army;  after  training  several  months  was  sent  overseas 
and  was  eighteen  months  in  service.  He  was  wounded  on  the 
left  arm  at  the  battle  of  Chateau  Thierry,  on  the  Vesle  River. 
He  was  reported  by  the  government  as  missing.  Later  his 
father  received  word  that  he  was  in  a  hospital  in  France.  He 
went  over  the  top  with  his  company  taking  the  railroad 
supply  station  from  the  Huns  at  Vesle  Valley  or  River.  He 
was  discharged  at  Camp  Grant,  Rockford,  Illinois,  January 
16,  1919. 

Reverend  John  Achison,  pastor  of  the  Willow  Creek 
Church,  Argyle,  Illinois,  enlisted  in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  transport 
work.     He  was  granted  one  year's  leave  of  absence  by  the 


126 

church  and  left  for  New  York,  October  I,  1918.  Reverend 
Achison  was  assigned  to  the  transport  U.  S.  S.  S.  Henderson 
and  sailed  from  Hoboken,  New  Jersey,  with  soldier  boys 
bound  for  Brest,  France.  They  arrived  there  about  the  time 
the  Armistice  was  signed.  Reverend  Achison  made  two  trips 
across  with  the  transport  The  Henderson  returning  to  New 
York  about  April  first  finishing  a  six  month's  service  in  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  work  overseas. 

Walter  Ralston  of  Manchester,  enlisted  and  was  with  the 
23  rd  Engineers  in  France.  The  following  letter  was  received 
by  his  mother  and  sisters,  dated  November  23,  Vrain  Court, 
France.     The  letter  is  taken  from  a  newspaper  clipping. 

Mrs.  Ralston  and  daughters  of  this  place  recently  received 
this  interesting  letter  from  Walter  Ralston,  who  is  with  the 
23rd  engineers  in  France. 

Vrain  Court,  France, 
December  23,   1918. 
Dear  Mother  and  Sisters: 

This  is  Sunday  again  and  I  will  write  a  few  lines.  Our 
letters  are  not  censored  quite  so  rigidly  now,  and  we  are  al- 
lowed to  write  things  we  could  not  think  of  writing  before,  so 
I  will  try  to  make  this  letter  a  little  more  interesting.  Since 
the  last  of  July  until  the  armistice  was  signed  we  were  in  the 
advance  zone  all  the  time  and  many  times  were  ahead  of  the 
heavy  artillery,  with  both  American  and  German  shells  flying 
over  our  heads.  The  noise  and  confusion  would  be  hard  to 
imagine.  The  Chateau  Theirry  was  really  the  start  of  the  last 
big  offensive  and  from  that  time  on  the  Germans  retreated. 
We  were  in  that  drive  from  start  to  finish  and  I  saw  many 
things  I  will  never  forget.  Quentin  Roosevelt  fell  but  a 
short  distance  from  us  and  I  sent  you  a  strip  of  the  plane  of  his 
machine.  We  camped  right  beside  "Big  Bertha"  emplace- 
ments. To  see  so  many  dead  soldiers  lying  where  they  fell  in 
trenches  and  piles  of  fallen  stone  from  wrecked  buildings  and 


127 

dead  horses  hitched  to  wagons  and  heavy  guns  is  an  awful 
sight. 

"Our  company  hauled  stone  and  bridge  material  up  to  the 
front,  also  rations  and  a  good  many  times  brought  the  wounded 
back.  We  did  a  lot  of  work  at  night.  The  Germans  would 
shell  the  road  in  the  day  time  and  we  had  to  fix  them  up  at 
night.  We  were  protected  all  the  time  by  our  artillery  and 
though  the  enemy  tried  their  best  to  drive  us  away,  our  guns 
were  always  more  than  a  match  for  them.  When  the  ob- 
jective was  reached  and  the  French  took  over  that  sector  we 
left  and  we  came  here  to  the  Champagne  sector,  a  short  way 
from  Verdun.  We  were  the  first  American  truck  company 
here  and  have  credit  for  doing  some  good  work.  We  worked 
in  twenty-four  hour  shifts  building  roads  for  the  big  guns  as 
they  can't  travel  on  poor  roads.  One  morning  when  things 
were  already  we  brought  up  troops  and  saw  them  take  posi- 
tions in  front  of  the  big  seventy-fives  which  were  stretched 
across  the  fields  as  far  as  we  could  see.  The  drive  started 
and  we  saw  the  boys  go  over  the  top  and  later  we  began 
bringing  back  the  wounded.  Our  big  trucks  never  stopped. 
For  days  at  a  time  we  hauled  up  supplies  and  carried  back  the 
wounded.  It  was  a  terrible  struggle  but  the  Germans  found 
that  they  could  not  stop  the  Yankees  that  they  made  so  much 
fun  of  and  they  were  driven  back.  When  the  news  came  that 
the  war  was  won  the  boys  went  wild  with  joy.  My  work  was 
to  keep  the  trucks  in  running  order,  fussing  with  a  bum  mag- 
neto or  carburetor  while  the  shells  whistled  over  my  head. 
With  a  steel  helmet  on  and  my  gas  mask  hanging  around  my 
neck  and  rifle  within  easy  reach,  at  first  I  was  a  little  nervous 
but  I  soon  got  used  to  it  for  the  trucks  had  to  run  and  that 
was  my  business.  In  the  midst  of  all  this  came  the  word  of 
father's  sickness  and  later  his  death.  It  was  an  awful  blow 
but  I  had  to  go  on  as  though  nothing  was  wrong  at  home.  I 
am  glad  you  had  so  much  help  from  friends  and  neighbors 


128 

and  wish  you  would  thank  them  all  for  me.  I  have  received 
many  letters  and  appreciated  them,  but  it  is  very  hard  for  me 
to  write  as  we  are  always  moving  and  for  a  long  time  we 
could  not  have  a  light  at  night.  I  hope  it  won't  be  long  before 
I  will  be  home.  There  is  some  talk  of  our  going  into  Ger- 
many, if  so,  of  course  it  will  be  longer.  This  waiting  will  be 
the  hardest  part  of  the  whole  thing  for  me.  You  will  be  lone- 
some at  Christmas  time  and  so  will  I.  Before  another  Christ- 
mas we  will  be  together.  Keep  up  your  courage  and  re- 
member even  yet  you  are  not  so  bad  off  as  these  poor  people 
over  here.    Will  close  for  this  time  with  love  to  all. 

Walter  Ralston, 

23  rd  Engineers. 

Ralph  Picken,  who  was  attending  the  University  at  Urbana, 
with  three  of  his  classmates,  enlisted  in  the  U.  S.  Navy,  and 
took  the  oath  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  November  27,  1917  and  was 
sent  to  the  Great  Lakes  Naval  Station,  near  Chicago,  Illinois. 
Mr.  Picken  was  selected  out  of  a  class  of  seventy-five  and 
was  transferred  to  Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  Massa- 
chusetts, February  18,  1918,  for  six  months  training  at  the 
Radio  Station.  Near  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  employed 
in  a  repair  ship  in  Charleston  Harbor.  He  was  discharged 
in  February,  1919,  being  one  year  in  service. 

John  Francis  Picken  enlisted  January  4,  1918,  in  the  avia- 
tion of  the  signal  service.  He  passed  his  examination  January 
5,  1918,  as  a  first  class  private,  a  candidate  for  a  commission. 
He  was  sent  to  Ellison  Field,  Texas,  for  training  and  re- 
ported May  20,  1918,  at  Champaign,  Illinois.  Mr.  Picken 
was  qualifying  as  a  bomb  dropper  at  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  mustered  out  of  service  and  arrived  home  December  1  7, 
1918. 

The  following  letters  were  received  from  Francis  and  Ralph 
Picken : 


129 

PICKEN    BROTHERS    WRITE    OF    WORK    IN 
SOUTHERN  CAMPS 

"Francis  and  Ralph  Picken,  of  Argyle,  sons  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  David  Picken,  write  very  interesting  letters.  Francis 
Picken  is  at  Ellington  Field,  Texas,  and  Ralph  is  on  the 
U.  S.  S.  Hartford,  at  Charlestown,  S.  C. 

"The  following  letter  is  from  Francis  Picken: 
'This  week  has  slipped  away  pretty  fast  and  up  until 
tonight  we  have  had  nice  weather,  but  it  rained  again  last 
night.  The  wind  is  in  the  north,  and  it  seems  to  be  getting 
cold,  so  it  may  clear  up  right  away.  This  was  my  first  week 
of  bombing  practice  and  it  certainly  was  interesting  work. 
They  have  a  house  with  a  big  lens  in  the  roof  that  projects 
the  shadow  of  the  ship  on  a  piece  of  paper,  and  they  mark 
down  a  dot  every  second  as  you  pass  over  the  house,  and  when 
the  sight  is  on  the  house  you  send  down  a  wireless  signal.  We 
have  a  big  class  this  week  so  we  only  go  up  once  a  day  for 
about  an  hour.  We  go  up  to  3,000  feet  if  it  isn't  too  cloudy, 
and  then  find  the  wind,  and  take  its  velocity,  take  the  altitude, 
speed  of  the  ship,  and  set  the  sight  to  compensate  for  all  these 
things.  Then  you  head  for  the  target  and  keep  the  ship 
straight  for  it,  as  well  as  we  can  by  watching  over  the  sides. 
When  the  house  gets  well  under  the  wings,  we  have  to  use  the 
sight  in  the  bottom  of  the  ship  and  steer  our  pilot  by  a  pair  of 
lines  and  signals.  When  we  think  our  sight  is  on  we  press  a 
wireless  key  and  then  mark  it  on  a  sheet  and  calculate  where 
our  shot  would  hit.  We  go  over  six  times  for  a  trip,  and  there 
are  about  seven  ships  on  that  stage.  When  we  finish  this  stage, 
then  we  drop  bombs  on  a  target  instead  of  pulling  a  wireless 
signal.  When  you  are  over  half  a  mile  up,  it  is  no  easy 
matter  to  hit  it  directly,  but  we  don't  usually  get  much  further 
than  100  feet  away  at  any  time.  The  ship  has  to  be  kept 
level.  We  have  to  get  the  wind  exactly  or  we  will  drift  off 
the  course,  and  we  have  to  know  its  speed.     If  we  bomb  down 


130 

through  wind  and  it  is  blowing  30  miles  per  hour  we  are 
traveling  about  100  M.  P.  H.  even  in  these  slow  training 
planes  and  we  have  to  act  quickly.  They  used  to  assign  us  to 
one  pilot  for  the  entire  course,  but  now  they  are  trying  out  the 
plan  of  changing  every  day.  We  have  a  splendid  bunch  of 
pilots,  except  for  one  or  two.  We  have  lost  the  feeling  of 
uneasiness  that  we  had  at  first  when  we  were  flying,  and  we 
feel  as  much  at  home  as  in  an  auto,  except  one  or  two  days 
when  it  was  bumpy,  I  had  an  awful  seasick  feeling.  We  can 
be  sailing  along  and  hit  a  bump  or  airpocket  and  drop  twenty 
feet,  or  zoom  up.  It  has  a  rocking  motion  like  a  ship  at  sea. 
Another  thing  that  is  apt  to  make  one  feel  punk,  if  one  is 
inclined  that  way,  is  zooming.  They  dive  a  little  and  then  go 
up  just  as  far  and  as  long  as  they  can  without  killing  the  en- 
gine, and  then  nose  it  down  and  repeat.  You  get  a  sensation 
like  the  drops  at  Harlem  park  only  shorter  and  more  complete, 
and  keep  it  up.  A  tight  spiral  when  we  turn  up  on  edge  and 
go  round  and  round,  I  don't  like,  but  I  will  soon  get  used  to 
them. 

*I  didn't  go  to  town  this  afternoon  but  intend  to  go  tomorrow 
morning  in  time  to  go  to  church.  It  is  too  far  out  of  town  to 
be  convenient  as  it  cost  45  cents,  and  almost  an  hour's  ride. 
I  was  always  wishing  that  I  could  get  a  few  snap  pictures  to 
send  home,  but  cameras  are  not  allowed.  We  can  get  some 
pretty  pictures  above  the  clouds  and  it  is  interesting  work  fly- 
ing among  them.  One  of  the  stages  the  pilot  has  to  do  is 
cloud  flying.  They  take  them  up  in  the  air  and  put  a  hood  over 
their  heads  and  they  can  consider  they  are  in  clouds  and  have 
to  fly  the  ship  by  the  feel. 

'It  looks  like  peace  might  be  in  sight,  but  most  of  us  don't 
expect  to  get  out  for  quite  a  while  anyway,  whether  peace  or 
war,  for  in  all  probability  it  will  take  quite  a  while  to  get  peace 
terms  adjusted.  There  are  so  many  countries  to  be  satisfied 
and  such  big  problems  that  it  may  be  years  before  all  the  de- 


131 

tails  are  worked  out. 

'When  the  sun  is  out  it  is  always  warm  enough  to  sweat 
walking  around  in  the  afternoon  and  although  it  is  damp  I 
haven't  had  a  cold  or  anything.  Last  night  the  water  blew  in 
our  door,  and  as  our  tent  floor  has  a  sag  in  it,  we  had  two 
inches  of  water  in  it.  We  will  have  to  get  busy  and  build  a 
door  as  our  canvas  won't  cover  it  all. 

'Monday  I  also  start  work  on  the  range  with  the  machine 
guns  mostly,  but  also  with  a  Springfield  rifle  and  trap  shooting. 
That  ought  to  be  interesting  work  only  it  is  a  mile  from  the 
tents  and  that  is  a  long  walk,  now  that  I  have  got  good  and 
lazy.  We  report  for  flying  at  6:30,  and  we  get  through 
about  ten,  they  have  about  three  crews  to  the  ship.  We  get 
dinner  and  report  for  gunnery  at  12:30,  get  through  at  three 
and  have  drill  calesthenics  from  3:45  to  4:45,  and  then 
supper.'  ' 

"Ralph  Picken  writes  as  follows: 

1  'My  letter  for  the  middle  of  the  week  is  just  a  little  late. 
I  didn't  forget  to  write  one  but  it  wouldn't  do  any  good  if  I 
did  before  today. 

'Monday  afternoon  eight  of  us  who  had  been  working  on 
some  of  the  engines  on  the  U.  S.  S.  Cincinnati,  which  is  a 
destroyer,  went  out  when  she  left  here.  There  was  some  work 
to  be  done  aboard  her  when  she  left,  so  they  took  eight  of  us 
along.  She  went  up  to  Norfolk,  Va.  We  expected  to  come 
back  from  there  either  by  ship  or  train,  but  we  never  got  there. 
The  Cincinnati  is  a  pretty  good  ship,  and  is  headed  for  the 
other  side  when  she  gets  a  couple  more  guns  mounted  on  her 
at  Norfolk.  I  sure  wished  I  could  have  stayed  aboard  her. 
All  of  us  did,  but  we  knew  we  weren't  sent  as  part  of  her 
crew.  We  had  dandy  weather  and  the  sea  was  good  all  the 
time. 

'I  had  quite  a  little  mail  here  when  I  got  back.  Papa's 
letter  and  one  from  Francis,  besides  a  few  others. 


132 

*I  got  some  new  clothes  this  morning,  and  they  have  raised 
the  price  on  them  now.  I  got  a  pair  of  shoes  and  a  couple  of 
white  hats  and  some  sox,  but  they  cost  me  about  $10.  The 
shoes  themselves  cost  $7  now  to  draw  them.  I  need  a  new 
suit  of  blues  for  dress,  but  I  don't  know  whether  to  get  them 
or  not.  The  way  things  look  now  perhaps  I  won't  have  to 
wear  them  long.  It  is  pretty  hard  to  tell  though  just  what 
they  are  going  to  do  with  the  navy  after  the  war.  I  may  have 
to  stick  with  it  quite  a  while,  and  I  may  not.  It  all  depends  on 
how  bad  they  need  men  or  rather  on  the  amount  of  money 
congress  will  give  them  to  keep  us.  Things  are  beginning  to 
take  on  a  bright  aspect  on  the  other  side  now. 

'They  say  that  the  quarantine  is  going  to  be  lifted  next 
Monday." 

J.  C.  Ralston,  Jr.,  enlisted  in  aviation  section  of  the  signal 
corps  and  passed  his  examination  January  5,  1918,  as  a  first 
class  private,  as  candidate  for  a  commission  and  was  called  to 
report  May  20,  1918,  at  Champaign,  Illinois.  Mr.  Ralston 
was  sent  to  Ellison  Field,  Texas,  for  training  and  was  later 
sent  to  Camp  McArthur,  Texas.  He  was  training  as  a  pilot 
and  continued  training  after  peace  was  declared.  He  was 
discharged  and  arrived  home  about  the  tenth  of  January,  1919. 

George  R.  Barnes,  who  was  in  class  one,  selective  draft, 
was  called  to  report  on  the  twentieth  of  May,  1918,  and 
went  to  Camp  Grant,  Rockford,  Illinois,  for  training.  The 
company  was  sent  to  Camp  Custer,  Michigan,  and  later  was 
sent  to  New  York  to  join  the  transport  for  Liverpool.  From 
there  they  went  by  rail  to  Dover,  and  by  boat  across  the 
English  channel,  to  France.  Mr.  Barnes  was  taken  sick  and 
was  in  the  hospital  in  France  for  a  few  months.  Later  he  was 
sent  back  to  his  company  and  was  sent  to  the  front  at  the  time 
the  Armistice  was  signed.  He  returned  from  France  on  the 
transport  Leviathan,  arriving  at  New  York,  April  1,  coming 
to  Camp  Grant,  April  10,  1919,  and  was  discharged.     The 


133 

following  letter  was  received  by  his  father  from  France,  dated 
November  24,  1918: 

November  24,  1918. 
"Dear  Father: 

"This  is  fathers'  day  in  France  and  the  "Y"  is  crowded  with 
soldiers  this  morning  writing  letters  to  their  respective  dads. 
The  censorship  is  relaxed  somewhat  and  so  this  morning  I  am 
going  to  tell  you  everything  I  have  done  so  far. 

We  are  now  in  a  dirty  little  village  called  Domgermain, 
which  is  about  the  size  of  Rockton.  It  is  located  a  few  miles 
behind  the  line,  about  half  way  between  Metz  and  Nancy  in 
the  Toul  Sector.  We  have  been  here  since  the  Armistice  was 
signed. 

"We  left  New  York  on  July  22,  and  landed  in  Liverpool, 
August  3.  There  were  about  twelve  or  thirteen  ships  in  our 
convoy  and  we  were  fairly  well  protected  by  sub  chasers  and 
a  few  battleships.  About  the  third  day  out  we  were  awakened 
one  morning  about  3  a.  m.  by  a  shot  fired  from  our  ship.  It 
seems  an  American  submarine  came  up  between  our  ship  and 
the  next  one  by  mistake  and  before  they  could  give  their  signal 
one  of  our  gunners  took  a  shot  at  them  but  luckily  missed.  Of 
course  there  was  quite  a  bit  of  excitement.  Then  about  two 
days  after  that,  one  morning  we  heard  the  signal  for  abandon 
ship.  So  as  we  had  been  drilled  to  do  we  all  lined  up  along 
the  railing  with  our  life  preservers  and  canteens  full  of  water. 
Previously  we  each  had  been  assigned  to  a  certain  raft  or  life 
boat.  Between  our  boat  and  the  next  one  the  sub  chasers 
were  surrounding  a  German  submarine.  We  could  feel  the 
ship  shake  as  they  sent  down  the  depth  bombs.  Well,  the 
submarine  was  sunk  alright  as  they  sent  the  signal  over  to  us 
afterwards.  That  was  all  we  saw  of  the  submarine.  We  had 
to  wear  our  life  preservers  at  all  times  and  were  supposed  to 
sleep  with  them  on  too. 


134 

"Our  ship  was  called  the  Minnelkahda  and  was  an  English 
freighter  remodeled  for  transporting  American  troops.  Her 
previous  cargo  was  a  ship  load  of  horses  from  the  States  to 
France. 

"The  feed  on  the  ship  was  very  poor.  It  was  furnished  by 
the  English  and  was  poorly  cooked  too.  There  was  a  canteen 
on  board  ship  where  we  could  buy  chocolate  and  cookies,  so 
we  got  along  alright. 

"We  landed  in  Liverpool  and  came  in  by  the  North  Chan- 
nel. We  could  see  the  shores  of  Scotland  but  it  was  very 
foggy.  We  stayed  in  Winchester  and  Southampton  about 
four  days.  While  there  they  picked  out  the  boys  who  didn't 
have  the  mumps  previously  and  left  them  in  quarantine.  I  said 
I  had  them  so  I  could  stick  with  the  company.  Ed.  Knipp 
was  left  in  England  in  quarantine.  England  is  a  very  pretty 
country  with  hedges  around  every  field.  We  crossed  the 
English  Channel  the  night  of  August  6.  The  night  before  an 
English  hospital  ship  was  sunk  in  the  channel  but  we  arrived 
in  LeHavre  safely.  The  channel  was  the  most  dangerous 
place  of  any  for  subs.  Then,  on  August  8,  the  doctor  said 
I  had  the  mumps  and  would  have  to  go  to  the  hospital.  That 
was  the  last  I  saw  of  Holdridge.  He  is  now  with  the  Third 
Division.  I  was  sent  to  an  English  hospital  at  LeHavre  Base 
52.  I  was  there  five  weeks.  Then  I  went  to  an  English  rest 
camp  and  had  a  chance  to  visit  LeHavre  several  times.  It  is 
a  very  pretty  city  and  quite  an  important  sea  port.  Then  I 
was  sent  with  several  other  Americans  to  a  classification  camp 
at  Eu,  a  small  place  near  Treport  on  the  English  Channel. 
From  there  I  was  sent  to  another  classification  camp  at  St. 
Dizier  by  way  of  Abbeville  and  Amiens.  Those  cities  were 
both  being  bombed  and  shelled  so  no  trains  could  enter  or 
leave  except  in  daytime.  You  know  soldiers  always  travel  in 
box  cars  in  France.  The  signs  read  *Hommes  40  Chevauz  8' 
which  means  the  car  will  hold  forty  men  or  eight  horses. 


135 

Those  box  car  rides  are  not  very  pleasant  to  say  the  least  and 
the  trains  travel  very  slowly,  too. 

"I  got  back  with  my  company  about  October  10.  At  that 
time  they  were  in  central  France  in  a  small  town  called 
'Pouilly-Sur-Loire'  which  means  Pouilly  on  the  Loire  river. 
I  have  sent  you  several  cards  of  the  place.  Most  of  the  men 
had  been  transferred  to  the  third  and  fourth  divisions  and  had 
seen  quite  a  bit  of  front  line  service.  Then  after  a  week  or 
so  we  filled  up  with  casuals  again  and  on  October  25,  started 
for  the  front.  The  Eighty-fifth  had  previously  been  a  Re- 
placement Division  but  on  October  20  it  was  changed  into  a 
Combat  Division.  After  four  long  days  of  riding  in  a  box 
car  we  got  off  the  train  near  Toul  and  then  had  a  few  days 
of  hiking.  On  Nevember  1 1 ,  when  the  Armistice  was  signed, 
we  were  near  Thiercourt  in  reserve  a  few  miles  behind  the 
line.  That  is  about  half  way  between  Metz  and  Nancy.  So 
you  see  the  fighting  stopped  just  as  we  were  arriving  at  the 
front.  About  a  week  ago  we  were  hiked  back  here  to  Dom- 
germain.  We  may  be  sent  up  into  the  Army  of  Occupation 
as  we  are  now  in  the  Second  Army  Corps.  But  if  not  we  may 
get  home  this  winter. 

"We  have  been  getting  fairly  good  feed  most  of  the  time 
but  of  course  it  is  sometimes  hard  to  get  our  supplies  up.  Corn 
willy,  salmon  and  beans  do  get  kind  of  tiresome  and  I  can 
imagine  eating  Thanksgiving  dinner  at  home  would  seem 
rather  nice.  Since  the  Armistice  we  have  been  getting  more 
fresh  meat  and  I  hope  they  will  continue  feeding  better. 

44 We  sleep  in  a  French  barn  now  and  these  cold  mornings 
the  only  satisfaction  we  have  is  that  there  is  plenty  of  fresh  air. 

Extracts  from  other  letters: 

4 'We  left  Domgermain,  January  1 5,  and  after  a  four  days' 
ride  in  a  box  car  arrived  in  Conlie  and  hiked  to  Loire  where 
we  are  now  located.  This  is  in  the  LeMans  area  and  about 
twenty  miles  from  Le  Mans.     We  expect  to  leave  here  for 


136 

Brest  soon.  We  are  living  in  an  old  barn  again.  The  last 
few  weeks  in  Domgermain  we  lived  in  a  chateau  about  500 
years  old.     It  was  a  fine  building  when  new. 

"We  passed  through  Normandy  which  is  one  of  the  French 
states.     It  is  about  the  prettiest  part  of  France  I  have  seen. 

"There  are  quite  a  few  stock  farms  in  this  part  of  France 
which  used  to  sell  horses  to  American  importers. 

"The  people  around  here  are  a  lot  nicer  and  cleaner  than 
those  up  near  the  line.    They  all  seem  more  prosperous,  too. 

"We  were  received  by  Gen.  Pershing  yesterday  and  the 
division  passed  a  good  review. 

Extracts : 

"We  stayed  a  week  in  Brest  and  embarked  on  the  Le- 
viathan, March  26,  and  landed  in  Hoboken,  April  2.  The 
Leviathan  is  the  largest  ship  afloat  and  was  captured  from  the 
Germans  at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  It  is  a  beautiful  ship 
inside.  There  were  about  twelve  thousand  troops  aboard  be- 
sides a  crew  of  over  two  thousand.  We  were  first  sent  to 
Camp  Dix  and  stayed  there  a  week.  Then  we  were  sent  to 
Camp  Grant  and  discharged  April  14,  1919." 

The  following  is  a  newspaper  clipping: 

GEORGE  R.  BARNES  SUCCUMBS 

AFTER  LENGTHY  ILLNESS 


Veteran  of  World  War  Dies  at  Rockford  Hospital 
From  Overseas  Infection. 

"George  R.  Barnes,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Barnes, 
residing  on  a  farm  two  miles  south  of  Roscoe,  died  at  Rock- 
ford  hospital  at  2:30  this  morning  from  complications  arising 
from  trench  mouth,  a  disease  familiar  to  overseas  veterans. 
Shock,  following  an  operation  at  5  o'clock  yesterday  after- 
noon is  believed  to  have  hastened  his  death. 


137 

"Barnes  spent  a  month  in  a  French  hospital  suffering  with 
trench  mouth  and  returned  to  this  country  for  discharge  ap- 
parently cured.  Last  July  he  became  ill  again.  Physicians 
at  Mayo  Brothers  hospital,  Rochester,  Minn.,  diagnosed  the 
case  as  a  renewal  of  the  disease  and  he  returned  here  for 
treatment.  Last  Tuesday  his  brother,  Ralph  Barnes,  sub- 
mitted to  an  operation  for  the  transfusion  of  a  quart  of  blood 
from  his  veins  into  those  of  his  brother  in  an  effort  to  save  the 
brother's  life. 

"Another  transfusion  was  considered,  but  the  world  war 
veteran  succumbed  before  it  could  be  accomplished. 

"George  R.  Barnes  was  born  in  Argyle,  November  30, 
1895,  the  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Barnes.  He  graduated 
from  Rockford  High  school  with  the  class  of  1914.  On 
May  25,  1918,  he  went  to  Camp  Grant  and  was  transferred 
to  the  338th  Infantry  for  eight  months.  He  is  a  member  of 
Walter  R.  Craig  post,  American  Legion. 

"Deceased  is  survived  by  his  bereaved  parents  and  a  brother 
Ralph  Barnes.  No  funeral  arrangements  had  been  made  early 
this  morning  but  it  is  believed  the  local  Legion  post  will  assist 
in  the  funeral  services  by  furnishing  a  firing  squad,  pall  bearers 
and  escort  of  honor." 

Ralph  Barnes  was  called  in  selective  draft  September  22, 
1917  and  reported  at  Camp  Grant  October  1 .  Later  he  was 
honorably  discharged. 

Carl  Ralston  joined  the  aviation  corps  and  was  in  training 
at  the  field  near  Champaign,  Illinois.  He  was  taken  with  a 
severe  cold  and  pneumonia  and  had  to  abandon  aviation  work. 
Later  he  enlisted  in  the  regular  army  in  the  Quartermasters 
Division.  He  was  at  New  York  on  the  way  to  France  with 
his  company  when  peace  was  declared.  Later  he  was  in 
camp  at  Washington,  D.  C,  before  being  discharged. 

Wendell  Pearson,  son  of  Reverend  M.  L.  Pearson,  a  for- 
mer pastor  of  the  Willow  Creek  church,   enlisted  with  the 


138 

Chicago  University  unit  in  the  ambulance  corps  and  was  sent 
to  France.  Later  he  joined  the  Quartermasters  Division  in 
the  regular  army. 

Arthur  Pearson  was  with  the  army  in  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work 
and  passed  examination  to  go  over  seas.  At  this  writing  he 
is  in  the  same  line  of  work  at  Honolulu,  Hawaiian  Islands. 

Philips  Armour  enlisted  as  a  candidate  in  the  Officers' 
Training  School  of  Coast  Artillery,  Fortress  Monroe,  Vir- 
ginia, and  was  there  when  the  war  ended. 

Homer  Kuhn  enlisted  in  Company  K,  April  17,  1917,  and 
was  sent  to  Camp  Logan,  Texas.  He  went  with  his  company 
to  France,  was  wounded  and  was  three  months  in  the  hospital. 
Later  he  was  with  the  A.  E.  F.  on  the  Rhine,  Germany. 
After  being  discharged  he  enlisted  in  the  regular  army  for 
one  year. 

Harvey  Armour  was  with  the  Engineering  Officers'  Train- 
ing School,  France.  The  following  letter  was  received  by 
his  parents: 

"Harvey  B.  Armour,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  C.  Armour, 
318  N.  Winnebago  street,  has  written  the  following  letter  to 
his  parents.  He  is  now  in  an  Engineering  Officers'  Training 
school  in  France.     His  address  is  A.  P.  O.  714. 

"As  far  as  we  are  concerned  the  ending  of  the  war  has 
made  no  difference  in  the  work,  as  we  still  climb  out  of  the 
warm  bed  at  5 :30  and  do  some  tall  shivering,  as  our  barracks 
are  not  heated.  I've  been  sleeping  on  a  straw  bed  sack  and 
one  blanket  with  three  blankets,  overcoat  and  raincoat  over  me, 
and  I  have  managed  to  keep  pretty  comfortable. 

"A  week  ago  Friday  I  went  to  town  and  bought  a  com- 
plete outfit.  When  I  came  home  Saturday  I  found  the  stuff 
was  off,  as  Washington  ordered  that  no  more  commissions  are 
to  be  granted.  We  are  now  ready  to  leave  with  certificates 
saying  that  we  have  completed  the  course  and  are  eligible  for 
commissions.     There  were  one  hundred  out  of  eight  hundred 


139 

chosen,  and  I  feel  very  fortunate  to  be  among  the  top  notchers. 
The  dope  seems  to  be  that  we  will  be  sent  back  to  our  outfits 
and  if  they  need  officers  we  will  be  commissioned.  Our  regi- 
ment is  short  so  I  may  be  able  to  don  the  regalia  yet. 

"As  censorship  rules  are  off,  I  will  tell  you  a  bit  about  my 
life  since  I  left  the  States.  We  saw  no  subs  on  the  way  over, 
but  we  had  a  couple  of  scares  when  we  "stood  to'*  ready  to 
abandon  the  ship.  We  landed  at  Liverpool  on  May  30th 
about  midnight,  unlocked  the  next  morning,  and  went  by  train 
to  a  rest  (?)  camp  at  Winchester.  The  next  morning  the 
company  announced  promotions,  and  I  was  surprised  to  find 
that  I  had  been  made  a  sergeant.  We  cleaned  up,  and  bathed, 
that  day,  and  we  were  up  the  next  morning  at  4  o'clock  bound 
for  Southampton  where  we  loaded  boat  again  and  by  night 
crossed  the  channel  to  Havre,  landing  on  the  morning  of 
June  3rd. 

"We  went  to  another  so  called  rest  camp,  known  as  the 
Cinder  Camp,  where  we  stayed  about  five  or  six  days,  resting 
and  drilling  a  little.  We  then  took  a  two  day  trip  to  a  little 
French  town  in  the  center  of  the  country  where  peace  reigned 
supreme,  and  I  guess  we  were  the  first  excitement  the  town 
had  had. 

"Ten  days  later  saw  us  on  the  Toul  sector  in  front  of 
Mount  Sec  where  we  worked  like  beavers  for  about  five 
weeks  without  a  great  amount  of  excitement.  I  sure  liked  the 
work  there,  as  they  put  me  in  charge  of  concrete  pill  box  con- 
struction. We  next  spent  ten  days  resting  and  drilling  near 
Toul.  Then  we  were  ordered  for  the  Nancy  sector  facing 
Metz  and  through  a  French  corporal  I  had  a  fine  view  from 
his  observation  post  and  I  saw  shells  lighting  near  some  Ger- 
man troops  on  the  road  near  Metz.  We  ended  on  that  front 
by  holding  the  pivot  at  the  south  end  of  the  famous  St.  Mihiel 
drive  and  I  had  my  first  experience  in  No  Man's  Land,  spend- 
ing three  nights  there. 


140 

"We  then  went  back  for  a  five  day  rest  in  a  woods  under 
pup  tents,  and  it  was  raining  all  the  time.  Off  then  for  the 
Argonne  where  I  stayed  until  coming  here.  We  did  not  go  up 
to  the  front  again  but  worked  for  about  two  weeks  on  the 
roads  in  the  rear,  but  we  were  finally  called  in  and  believe  me, 
there  was  hell  popping  up  there.  Gen.  Pershing  gave  our 
division  praise  for  our  work. 

"Now  all  that  remains  is  to  get  home.  The  dirty  Huns  are 
licked  to  a  frazzle  and,  believe  me,  the  Americans  did  their 
share  in  cleaning  them  up.  Where  I'll  spend  Thanksgiving  I 
can't  guess  now,  but  from  the  dope,  Uncle  Sam  is  going  to 
furnish  turkey,  cranberries,  etc.,  but  it  can't  compare  with 
mother's  table  a  year  ago.  Last  Sunday  we  had  an  Ames 
reunion  to  talk  over  old  times,  and  wrote  a  letter  back  to  the 
Alumnus.  Would  you  believe  it,  we  numbered  eleven  right 
here  in  this  school?     Hope  to  be  home  by  Christmas." 

Harvey. 

Charles  Armour,  Jr.,  enlisted  as  a  candidate  in  the  Officers' 
training  in  the  artillery  and  was  at  Fort  Taylor,  Louisville, 
Kentucky.  He  gained  his  commission  as  lieutenant  at  the 
close  of  the  war. 

Wilber  Giffen  enlisted  in  U.  S.  Naval  Reserves,  June  15, 
1918,  and  was  sent  to  the  Municipal  Pier,  Chicago,  for  train- 
ing. He  was  released  April  24,  1919,  with  rank  of  ensign, 
and  commissioned  from  Officers'  Training  School  at  Pilham 
Bay,  New  York  City. 

David  McCorvie  enlisted  in  the  Quartermasters  Division  at 
Camp  Grant  and  continued  there  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Other  young  men  of  the  community  who  were  in  active 
service  or  in  training  were :  Raymond  Wallace,  George  Wal- 
lace, Colin  Ralston,  Colin  McGaw,  Charles  McClure,  Colin 
McClure,  William  McGaw,  Walter  McGaw. 


141 

SERMON 

Preached  at  the  Funeral  of 
JOHN  GREENLEE,  SR. 
In  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Belvidere,  Illinois, 
January  2d,  1 883,  by  Rev.  M.  F.  Howie. 
TEXT: — //  Timothy,  4:7,    "/  have  j ought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  £ep/  the  faith:     Henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righetousness  which  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  Judge  will  give  me  at  that  day.** 
Ninety-one  years  and  four  months  of  busy,  active  life  closed 
on  earth  forever!     Ninety  one  years  and  four  months  of  con- 
stant contact  and  intercourse  with  men  brought  to  an  end  as 
calmly  and  peacefully  as  an  evening  sunset 

A  long  life,  through  which  a  vigorous  and  active  mind,  and 
kind  heart,  touched  many  another  mind  and  heart,  moulding 
and  shaping  them  for  good,  has  passed  out  of  our  view,  and 
all  its  most  pronounced  achievements  turned  at  once  into 
memories  of  our  departed.  The  most  thoughtless  cannot  linger 
on  this  without  seriousness;  and  to  the  thoughtful  and  re- 
flective it  is  full  of  both  admonition  and  consolation.  We 
offer  no  words  of  fulsome  eulogy  to-day  as  we  stand  thus  at 
the  terminus  of  this  long  race-course,  and  say  of  him  who  ran 
it,  as  Paul  said  of  himself,  "I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith;  henceforth  there  is 
laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness  which  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day." 

We  recall  here  in  this  funeral  service,  with  gratitude,  the 
goodness  of  God  throughout  this  life,  prolonging  it,  in  em- 
ploying it  for  many  good  social,  religious  and  public  ends,  in 
giving  tranquility,  and  a  long  and  peaceful  evening  after  so 
long  and  arduous  a  day  of  labor;  and  we  linger  on  the  fact 
that  there  must  have  been  rare  powers  in  this  mind  and  heart, 
now  gone  from  their  mortal  companion,  to  arrest  the  sym- 
pathies, win  the  confidence  and  determine  the  judgments  of 


142 

others,  and  to  bear  with  cheerfulness  the  privations  and  hard- 
ships incident  to  the  life  of  an  early  settler  of  this  State. 

But  few  words  are  needed  to  describe  the  prominent  features 
of  the  majority  of  human  lives.  It  is  not  necessary  to  write  a 
volume,  after  all,  to  tell  whether  a  man  has  spent  a  noble  or  a 
wasted  life ;  whether  he  has  lived  for  good  or  evil.  And  if  for 
good,  the  picture  is  easily  drawn,  for  no  shading  of  the  back- 
ground is  required,  no  darkening  of  the  sunlight  is  needful,  no 
tinting  of  the  features  is  necessary.  The  picture  of  a  good  life, 
I  repeat,  is  easily  drawn.  There  are  a  few  figures  to  arrange, 
as  data  of  birth,  childhood,  schooldays,  maturity  and  death; 
and  a  few  incidents  to  be  grouped  as  characteristic,  unique 
and  expressive  of  distinct  individuality. 

The  leading  facts  in  the  life  of  Father  John  Greenlee  are 
soon  told.    Let  us  go  back  in  memory  nearly  a  century. 

Yonder  amid  the  green  hills  of  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  in 
the  Parish  of  South-end,  on  the  1 6th  day  of  August,  1  79 1 ,  a 
boy  is  born;  and  soon  afterwards  he  is  consecrated  by  his 
parents  to  the  Lord  in  baptism,  as  the  records  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  of  that  parish  still  show.  The  first  breath  that 
he  drew  was  from  the  air  of  that  sea-girt  Island,  and  with 
it  he  imbibed  those  sterling  qualities  of  heart  and  soul  which 
have  made  Scotchmen  noted  the  world  over.  His  schooldays 
were  passed  among  the  same  dear  hills  that  sheltered  him  at 
birth,  and  in  that  Scottish  school-room  he  has  those  principles 
of  rectitude,  breathed  from  the  very  air  at  birth,  still  more  in- 
delibly stamped  upon  his  character,  thus  helping  to  lay  the 
foundation  for  all  his  future  life  of  usefulness  and  worth.  His 
early  advantages  in  school,  it  is  true,  were  limited;  but  what 
he  had,  he  improved  well,  and  learned,  never  to  forget. 
Those  were  the  days  of  few  books,  but  what  few  they  had 
they  read  thoroughly  and  digested  well.  Father  Greenlee, 
all  through  his  life,  from  early  childhood  up,  was  an  eager 
searcher  after  knowledge;  to  know  what  others  knew  was  his 


143 

great  desire.  To  the  extent  of  his  ability  he  was  a  reader  of 
books.  Hence  in  his  early  boyhood  we  find  him  eagerly  de- 
vouring the  pages  of  such  standard  works  as  Harvey's  "Medi- 
tations on  the  Starry  Heavens"  and  "Among  the  Tombs;" 
Young's  "Night  Thoughts,"  Milton's  "Paradise  Lost  and 
Regained,"  Dodridge's  "Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the 
Soul,"  and  various  works  on  the  Prophecies,  together  with 
the  Westminster  Catechism. 

Such  reading  as  strengthened  the  mind  of  vigorous  and 
pure  thought,  and  inspired  the  soul  to  worship  and  adore  its 
Maker.  He  had  a  wonderful  retentive  memory  and  what  he 
read  was  ever  before  him  like  an  unlocked  treasure-house, 
from  which  he  drew  at  will.  And  only  a  few  weeks  before 
death,  I  have  heard  him  repeat,  in  choking  utterances,  whole 
passages  from  these  books  as  expressive  of  his  inward  thinking. 
But  to  him  the  Bible  was  of  all  books  the  first,  the  last,  the 
best.  He  studied  it  first  at  his  pious  mother's  knee  in  his 
humble  Scottish  home,  and  never  neglected  to  study  to  his 
latest  day.  It  was  the  interpreter  of  all  things  else  to  him, 
and  the  exhaustless  theme  of  his  mind  and  heart.  With  God 
Himself  shining  through  all  its  pages,  a  light  subtler  than  that 
of  the  sun,  and  touching  his  spirit  wherever  he  turned,  every 
thing  in  the  universe  took  on  a  new  meaning.  Skies  and  seas, 
mountains  and  plains,  lakes  and  torrents,  cedars  and  palms, 
flowers  of  the  fields  and  waving  grain,  lions  and  conies,  angels 
and  men,  kings  and  kingdoms,  armies  and  navies,  wars  and 
pestilences,  sickness  and  death,  adversity  and  prosperity, 
Eden's  garden,  Man  a  sinner  and  Calvary's  Cross — all  had 
their  interpretation  and  meaning  to  him  in  the  Book  of  books, 
and  were  lit  up  with  a  light  above  that  of  the  sun  or  moon, 
which  streamed  from  its  sacred  pages. 

With  such  wholesome  and  religious  instruction,  and  the 
constant  care  and  prayers  of  a  pious  mother,  to  whom  he 
was  greatly  attached,  the  boy  grows  into  manhood.     At  an 


144 

early  day  he  joined  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  re- 
mained a  devoted  and  consistent  member  till  the  end.  His 
early  life  was  spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  where  his  physical 
strength  received  that  development — that  knitting  of  bone  and 
toughtening  of  muscle,  and  expansion  of  vital,  which  peculiarly 
fitted  him  for  enduring  the  hardships  and  privations  of  the  new 
world. 

At  the  age  of  thirty-two  he  marries  Miss  Helen  Brown,  the 
daughter  of  a  neighboring  farmer,  and  with  united  hearts  and 
lives,  and  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes,  they  start  out  to 
make  the  best  of  life.  Their  pathway  from  the  first  did  not 
lead  through  flowery  meadows,  watered  by  cooling  streams, 
or  under  trellised  arbors  that  might  have  lent  a  sheltering  shade 
to  screen  them  from  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  No! 
Their  journey  led  up  the  rugged  road  of  life  where  the  path 
was  stony  and  the  hill  steep.  The  fickle  goddess — Dame 
Fortune — refused  them  any  favor  but  what  they  wrested  and 
wrung  from  her  hand  by  earnest  effort  and  honest  toil. 

Children  were  born  to  them  and  cares  multiplied;  but  at 
no  period  of  their  life,  from  the  hour  they  stood  at  the  hymenial 
altar  and  plighted  their  troth  one  to  another,  to  the  hour  when 
the  hand  of  death  severed  the  sacred  tie,  could  one  have  said 
to  the  other,  "y°u  have  failed  in  contributing  your  share  in 
building  up  and  sustaining  your  part  of  the  mutual  interests 
of  the  family  and  the  household."  All  along  it  was  the 
sturdy  oak  supporting  the  evergreen  ivy;  or  if  the  illustration 
reversed  suits  you  better,  it  was  the  graceful  ivy  clinging  to 
and  clasping  its  tendrils  lovingly  about  the  oak,  making  its 
trunk  and  arms  stronger  and  more  graceful  by  its  presence 
and  influence. 

Years  roll  by;  and  in  that  same  land  where  the  parents  first 
drew  breath,  three  sons  and  three  daughters  are  born  to  them, 
all  but  one  of  whom  still  survive  and  are  here  to-day,  together 
with  two  other  daughters  born  in  this  country,  all  now  married 


145 

and  well-to-do  in  life.  Like  a  true  father  and  mother,  who 
always  bear  some  resemblance  to  their  Heavenly  Father,  they 
deemed  no  sacrifice  too  great  to  make  for  their  children. 
Most  lovingly  did  they  study  their  every  want,  and  always 
supplied  it  to  the  best  of  their  ability.  They  labored  early 
and  late  for  their  support.  They  taught  them  the  fear  of 
God,  the  love  of  truth,  and  guided  their  young  feet  into  the 
ways  of  the  Sanctuary.  And  now  when  the  sun  of  both  has 
set,  and  they  have  passed  on  to  the  dawning  of  that  other  and 
endless  day,  how  gladly  can  these  children  rise  up  and  call 
them  blessed,  saying,  "My  father's  and  my  mother's  God  I 
will  serve." 

But  time  wears  away;  crops  fail  and  rents  become  oppres- 
sive in  the  land  of  their  birth.  Strange  stories  of  the  wealth 
of  this  new  and  western  world  are  wafted  across  the  waste  of 
of  waters  to  the  sea-girt  Isle;  they  are  repeated  on  the  hills 
of  Argyleshire,  and  the  mother  lulls  her  babe  to  sleep  on  the 
shores  of  the  great  sea,  with  the  repetition  of  these  stories  about 
the  land  that  Columbus  discovered.  Their  weird  tale  is  caught 
up  and  echoed  along  the  braes  of  Kintyre.  A  tide  of  emigra- 
tion sweeps  over  that  land  of  song  and  story,  and  that  sturdy 
pair,  with  their  family  of  young  children,  are  caught  by  the 
currents  and  borne  across  the  stormy  Atlantic  and  on  to  the 
valley  of  the  Mississippi.  The  past,  with  all  its  sacred  associa- 
tions and  tender  memories  was  behind  them,  the  unmapped 
future  was  before  them ;  but  the  God  of  their  youthful  days  was 
still  their  trust;  and  we  can  imagine  them  saying  as  they  push 
on  toward  the  untrodden  west, 

"I  know  not  where  His  islands  lift 
Their  fronded  palms  in  air; 

I  only  know  I  cannot  drift 

Beyond  His  love  and  care." 
It  was  in  the  lovely  month  of  August,  1 836, — the  month  of 
flowers — that  the  weary  travellers  reached  Ottawa,  in  this  state, 


146 

having  come  round  by  way  of  the  lakes  to  Chicago,  and  from 
there  to  Ottawa  by  team.  And  well  do  I  remember  hearing 
him  relate  the  experience  of  his  first  day  in  Ottawa.  How, 
when  he  was  sitting,  near  its  close,  in  the  store  of  a  friend, 
somewhat  disheartened  and  discouraged,  for  work  did  not 
seem  to  be  plenty,  and  he  had  a  large  family  dependent  on 
him  for  their  support,  a  contractor  came  in  and  asked  for  a 
stone  mason  to  take  the  place  of  one  who  had  failed  to  keep 
his  word.  "There,  again,"  said  he,  "was  the  hand  of  that 
kind  Providence  which  always  watched  over  me,  interposed 
in  my  behalf;  I  made  a  bargain  with  the  contractor,  went  to 
work  for  him,  and  from  that  day  on  commenced  to  prosper." 
Father  Greenlee  was  then  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  life,  and 
whatever  his  hands  found  to  do  he  did  it  with  all  his  might. 

In  the  month  of  December  of  the  same  year,  he  took  posses- 
sion of  a  claim  in  Caledonia  township,  Boone  County,  near 
the  center  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  "Scotch  Settlement." 
The  following  spring,  he  moved  his  family  from  Ottawa  on  to 
this  claim;  and  there,  or  near  to  that  spot,  he  resided  for  a 
period  of  forty  years.  He  was  the  pioneer  Scotchman  of 
that  great  settlement  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  part  of 
the  state.  He  was  the  first  Scotchman  who  permanently 
settled  here,  and  around  him  as  a  nucleus  has  gathered  a  settle- 
ment of  nearly  two  hundred  families.  He  was  also  the 
pioneer  in  the  formation  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of  that 
settlement,  now  grown  so  strong  and  influential.  He  was  the 
first  to  raise  the  standard  of  the  Cross  on  those  prairies ;  a  leader 
in  the  organization  of  that  church;  and  from  its  birth  till  the 
day  of  his  death  he  held  in  it  the  office  of  Ruling  Elder.  He 
was  a  Presbyterian  by  instinct,  training  and  education. 
Principle  pointed  out  his  religious  home,  but  a  broad,  unselfish 
philanthropy  made  him  undenominational  in  practice.  He 
gave  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  all  who  were  followers  of 
Christ,  of  whatever  name.     He  lived  to  wield  an  influence, 


147 

and  was  largely  instrumental  in  shaping  and  moulding  the 
moral  and  religious  life  of  that  community  where  he  resided 
so  long.  What  remarkable  changes  have  taken  place  in  the 
condition  of  this  country  and  of  the  world  during  the  life-time 
of  our  aged  friend!  What  progress  in  art  and  science,  in 
education  and  religion,  in  government  and  business!  The 
ninety-one  years  and  four  months  he  has  lived  have  been 
crowded  with  enterprises  and  events  of  wonderful  import. 
Born  during  the  reign  of  George  the  3rd  of  England,  and  in 
George  Washington's  first  presidential  term,  he  has  lived  to 
see  since  then  three  new  rulers  ascend  the  throne  of  England, 
and  eighteen  presidents  elected  in  the  United  States;  and  this 
country  increase  in  population  from  four  to  that  of  fifty  million. 
It  has  been  an  age  of  invention;  knowledge  has  increased; 
telegraph  lines  intersect  all  lands,  and  bring  together  the  shores 
of  distant  continents.  Railways  span  all  the  great  civilized 
countries  of  the  globe,  upon  which  at  his  birth  not  a  single 
tie  or  rail  had  been  laid,  nor  a  single  telegraphic  wire 
stretched.  Since  his  birth  great  wars  have  been  waged,  and 
mighty  battles,  decisive  of  liberty  and  human  rights  have 
been  fought.  Thrones  of  despotism  have  been  overturned; 
and  the  power  and  grace  of  Him  whose  young  life  aged 
Simeon  blessed,  have  been  marvelously  displayed  in  the  de- 
velopment of  a  higher  Christian  civilization.  No  one  mind 
can  group  the  amazing  history  of  these  ninety-one  years,  as  it 
seems  to  embrace  more  of  the  world's  progress  than  many 
centuries  before.  And  amid  all  these  onward  movements,  our 
friend  was  no  clog  on  the  wheels  of  progress,  but  in  his  own 
humble  way  every  ready  to  put  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel  to 
help  the  race  roll  forward. 

There  are  some  here  to-day,  I  presume,  who  knew  our  aged 
friend  as  he  was  in  the  prime  and  fulness  of  his  manhood — 
strong,  generous  and  upright,  and  progressive;  a  good  citizen, 
a  kind  husband,  an  affectionate  father,  a  warm  friend,  a  de- 


148 

voted  Christian.  If  you  analyze  personal  character,  you  will 
find  that  some  are  dead  to  the  interests  of  humanity,  to  the 
claims  of  charity  and  benevolence  while  they  live.  Again  you 
will  find  others  all  life  and  spirit  and  heart  and  sense  and  sym- 
pathy and  love;  their  being  seems  a  very  spring  of  power  and 
influence — copious,  like  the  Nile,  boiling,  like  the  geysers. 
They  live  to  make  sadness  brighten  into  sunshine;  their  acts 
of  kindness  changes  gloom  into  gladness.  Such  characters 
live  a  twelve  monthed  year  in  a  single  hour.  Such  was  the 
character  and  influence  of  our  departed  friend.  How  blessed 
the  ministry  of  such  lives!  Nor  did  these  noble  qualities  of 
heart  and  soul  desert  him  to  the  last.  Although  bereft  of  the 
companion  of  his  youth,  who  eighteen  years  ago  passed  into  the 
upper  light;  although  bereft  of  her  who  had  borne  the  heat  and 
burden  of  the  day  equally  with  himself,  and  cheered  him 
through  it  all,  yet  these  noble  qualities  never  forsook  him. 
Always  cheerful,  always  kind,  always  sympathetic,  always 
young  in  spirit. 

One  of  the  sages  of  the  present  age  has  said,  "While  we 
converse  with  what  is  above  us,  we  do  not  grow  old,  but 
do  grow  young."  That,  I  think,  was  largely  the  secret  of 
Father  Greenlee's  happy  old  age.  He  had  been  conversing 
with  what  was  above  him,  "waiting  for  the  consolation  of 
Israel,"  As  the  years  of  his  life  had  brought  their  cares  and 
dangers  and  duties  and  opportunities  and  priviliges  and  re- 
sponsibilities, they  had  also  brought  their  hopes  of  better  things 
for  the  future.  Not  in  vain  had  he  read  the  words  of  inspira- 
tion concerning  the  good  things  to  come.  All  along  he  had 
been  discerning  the  fulfillment  of  the  promises  his  Heavenly 
Father  had  made.  With  thoughts  that  were  at  home  among 
the  divine  thoughts;  with  purposes  and  plans  in  harmony  with 
the  divine  plans;  with  heart  and  hand  ever  ready  for  self- 
sacrificing  service,  he  was  growing  strong  and  beautiful,  sym- 
metrical and  manly,  harmonious  and  God-like.     Age  had  not 


149 

served  to  wither  the  blossoms  of  hope  in  his  heart,  however 
it  might  have  brought  dimness  of  sight  to  the  eye,  or  faltering  to 
the  step.  If  gray  hairs  adorned  his  brow,  they  were  a  crown  of 
glory  to  him,  for  he  was  found  in  the  ways  or  righteousness. 
Late  in  the  autumn,  or  even  in  early  winter,  you  have  seen, 
among  the  fruit  trees,  an  apple,  fair  and  sound  and  ripe,  alone 
clinging  to  the  branch  on  which  it  was  born,  and  where  it  had 
its  summer  home,  long  after  its  companions  had  all  been 
gathered.  So  in  God's  wise  Providence  it  was  with  our  aged 
friend.  He  saw  one  after  another  of  the  companions  of  his 
youth  and  mature  manhood  ripen  and  fall.  Still  he  clung 
alone  to  the  tree  of  human  life,  even  when  looking  upon  the 
third  generation  of  his  descendants.  He  came  to  his  grave 
in  a  full  age;  "like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his  season.** 
Father  Greenlee's  old  age  was  the  very  best  part  of  his  life; 
and  why  should  not  the  last  be  the  best  portion  of  every  well- 
spent  life  that  is  prolonged  to  four-score  and  ten  even? 

Early  this  fall,  it  became  evident  to  his  children  and  friends 
that  he  was  failing  unusually  fast;  and  that  his  sojourn  here 
was  nearly  ended.  Weeks  wore  away,  and  his  physical  health 
became  more  and  more  feeble.  He  went  out  less  and  less, 
and  finally,  about  a  month  ago  he  became  confined  to  his 
room,  and  then  later  to  his  bed.  I  visited  him  frequently,  and 
generally  found  his  mind  clear,  his  memory  good  and  his 
spirit  joyful.  As  the  outward  man  decayed,  the  inward  man 
was  renewed  day  by  day.  The  outward  was  growing  weaker, 
but  the  inward,  the  true  man,  was  growing  larger  and  stronger 
and  better.  The  soul  was  increasing  in  breadth,  in  purity,  in 
richness,  in  spiritual  power.  Two  days  before  his  death  I 
visited  him  for  the  last  time.  I  saw  that  the  end  must  soon 
come;  and  I  asked  him  if  the  good  Lord,  who  had  led  him 
through  all  his  pilgrimage,  was  still  his  Guide  and  Portion? 
He  answered  in  feeble  tones,  "Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but 
Thee?     And  there  is  none  upon  the  earth  that  I  desire  be- 


150 

sides  Thee.     My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth,  but  God  is  the 
Strength  of  my  heart  and  my  Portion  forever." 

I  stood  for  a  moment  beside  that  couch,  and  saw  plainly 
that  the  gray  pallor  of  death  was  fast  usurping  the  place  of 
health;  that  the  deep,  rich  lights  were  leaving  those  eyes  that 
soon  must  gaze  on  other  climes ;  that  the  music  of  the  old  voice 
was  dying;  that  the  beauty  of  mortal  mould  and  feature  lay 
waiting  the  summons  to  enter  into  the  opportunities  of  the  great 
hereafter.  But  I  knew  that  death  to  him  could  bring  no  loss, 
but  an  immortal  gain.  I  knew  that  it  was  only  transplanting 
lovliness  from  earth  that  it  might  bloom  in  heaven;  and  I  went 
away  from  that  bed  of  death  saying  to  myself,  "Let  me  die 
the  death  of  righteousness,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his!" 
Two  days  afterward  he  passed  on,  and  was  not,  for  God 
took  him. 

Why  mourn  ye  that  our  aged  friend  is  dead? 
Ye  are  not  sad  to  see  the  gathered  grain, 
Nor  when  its  mellow  fruit  the  orchard  casts; 
Ye  sigh  not  when  the  sun — his  course  fulfilled — 
(His  glowing  course  rejoicing  earth  and  sky, 
In  the  soft  evening  when  the  winds  are  stilled)  — 
Sinks  where  his  islands  of  refreshment  lie, 
And  leaves  the  smile  of  his  departure 
Spread  o'er  the  warm-colored  heaven  and  ruddy  mountain 

head: 
And  I  am  glad  that  he  has  lived  so  long, 
And  glad  that  he  has  gone  to  his  reward; 
Nor  can  I  deem  that  nature  did  him  wrong 
Softly  to  disengage  the  vital  cord; 
Nor  when  hand  grew  palsied  and  his  eye  grew 
Dark  with  mists  of  age. 
It  was  his  time  to  die. 

Give  to  the  dust  its  own, 

Glad  soul  ascend  thy  throne; 


151 

In  triumph  rise; 

The  onward  march  is  given, 

From  sphere  to  sphere  ascend, 

Thy  bliss  shall  never  end, 

For  thine  is  life,  love,  harmony  and  heaven." 

FINIS 

In  concluding  his  Sermon  preached  January  7th,   1883,  the 

REV.  JAMES  MACLAUGHLIN, 

Pastor  of  Willow  Creek  Church, 

alluded  to  the  death  of 

MR.  JOHN  GREENLEE, 

In  the  following  words: 


We  come  now  to  view  the  last  open  grave  beside  which  we 
stood  and  in  which  we  saw  the  casket  with  its  corpse  laid 
down  to  rest.  Read  what  is  engraved  on  that  coffin-plate, 
and  you  will  see  that  it  marks  the  narrow  house  in  which  the 
body  of  John  Greenlee  takes  its  last  sleep;  and  you  will  see, 
too,  that  ere  it  is  laid  in  that  narrow  house,  that  body  was  old 
and  full  of  days.  Long  did  life's  streams  irrigate  that  body. 
Three  score  and  ten  years  are  not  enough  to  measure  the 
activities  of  that  heart  that  fed  the  body  with  life  and  strength 
— not  even  four  score  year — ere  its  machinery  stops  and  settles 
down  into  a  long  rest;  its  work  covers  the  long  period  of  four 
months  over  four  score  and  eleven  years. 

The  death  of  Mr.  Greenlee  deserves  more  than  a  brief 
obituary  notice  in  this  place.  The  fact  alone  that  he  went  down 
to  the  grave  in  a  good  old  age  constrains  us  to  lay  at  his  feet 
that  veneration  and  respect  which  we  owe  as  the  appropriate 
tribute  to  the  hoary  head.  But  his  life  was  not  only  long;  it 
was  eventful  and  useful  as  well.  If  he  was  not  the  immediate 
cause  of  the  pleasant  homes  that  now  adorn  this  portion  of 
Illinois,  to  none  more  than  to  him,  to  none  so  much  as  to  him 
is  due  the  credit  of  that  change  that  has   turned  the  wild 


152 

prairie  into  the  green  pastures  and  the  unbroken  wilderness 
into  the  fertile  fields  which  we  see  to-day  around  us. 

John  Greenlee  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Southend,  Argyle- 
shire,  Scotland,  in  the  year  1791.  He  was  not  the  only 
child,  but  he  was  the  only  son  of  his  parents.  His  early  life 
was  spent  neither  in  poverty  nor  in  riches,  but  in  the  sub- 
stantial comforts  which  the  farming  class  usually  enjoy  in  his 
native  land.  His  youthful  years  were  spent  in  honest  and 
honorable  toil.  Manhood  reached,  his  body  was  far  from 
being  so  burly  and  robust  as  that  which  characterizes  most  of 
his  countrymen;  still,  it  must  have  possessed  a  wiry,  tough, 
elastic  nature,  capable  of  great  endurance,  else,  it  would  not 
have  battled  so  successfully  with  the  storms  of  so  many  winters 
ere  it  succumbed  and  sank  at  last  to  its  long  rest. 

When  about  thirty  years  of  age  he  entered  on  wedded  life. 
His  loving  and  beloved  partner  was  Ellen  Brown,  a  sister  oi 
our  highly  esteemed  citizen  and  fellow-worshipper,  Mr. 
Thomas  Brown.  By  this,  his  only  matrimonial  alliance,  Mr. 
Greenlee  had  born  to  him  three  sons  and  five  daughters,  and 
although  his  own  life  was  so  long,  he  was  called  to  follow  to 
the  grave  but  two  of  his  own  household,  his  wife  and  one  of 
his  daughters. 

Mr.  Greenlee  started  life  in  the  pursuit  in  which  he  had 
been  trained  from  boyhood — the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  A 
few  years  experience  taught  him  the  lesson,  which  many  were 
learning  as  well  as  himself,  many  have  learned  since,  and 
many  are  learning  still  in  the  British  Isles, — that  landlordism 
is  a  species  of  legalized  oppression — a  kind  of  serfdom  that 
refuses  to  the  hardy  husbandman  his  fair  share  of  the  fruits  of 
his  fields.  So  he  very  sensibly  concluded  to  leave  the  scenes 
of  his  early  pastime  and  pleasure  and  seek  a  home  elsewhere 
where  he  could  enjoy  the  reward  of  his  own  labors.  To  find 
that  home  he  crossed  the  stormy  sea  whose  waves  he  had  often- 
times heard  breaking  on  his  native  shores,   and  reached   in 


153 

safety  the  land  of  his  adoption.  Desirous  of  following  his 
favorite  pursuit,  Mr.  Greenlee  lingers  not  in  the  crowded  city; 
a  farm  is  his  choice,  and  so  westward  and  onward  he  travels 
until  his  feet  stand  in  the  lonely  prairie. 

What  attracted  him  to  this  part  of  Illinois  was  the  fact 
that  some  of  his  countrymen  had  viewed  this  section  of 
country  with  a  favorable  eye.  The  Armour  brothers  ware 
the  first,  I  believe,  to  take  up  a  claim  on  Willow  Creek.  This 
induced  Mr.  Greenlee  to  come  and  examine  the  land.  He 
came,  he  saw,  he  concluded  to  pitch  his  tent  on  the  bank  of 
this  little  stream  whose  name  afterwards  became  so  well  known 
thousands  of  miles  away,  in  his  native  parish.  The  Armours, 
although  taking  up  a  claim,  did  not  become  permament 
settlers.  Mr.  Greenlee  did  become  a  permanent  settler,  built 
his  log  house  and  made  the  place  his  home.  This  was  in  1 835 
or  1836,  forty-six  or  forty-seven  years  ago.  So  it  is,  that 
John  Greenlee  was  the  first  Scotchman  who  permanently 
settled  in  this  place,  and  to  him  belongs  the  honor  of  being 
the  legitimate  father  and  founder  of  this  large  and  prosperous 
Scotch  settlement. 

Look  back  over  forty-five  years,  see  the  lonely  family 
standing  on  the  unbroken  prairie  and  laying  the  foundation  of 
a  home,  when  there  was  no  human  sound  but  their  own  to 
break  the  silence.  I  can  fancy  that  then,  not  only  the  wild 
screech  of  the  blue- jay,  but  even  the  coarse  growl  of  the  wolf 
would  be  welcomed  as  music,  breaking  the  monotony  of 
pioneer  life.  True,  the  Greenlee  family  had  their  neighbors, 
but  these  were  few  and  far  between.  On  the  north  was  the 
Babcock  family,  where  Mr.  McNair  now  resides;  and  on  the 
south  the  Enoch  family,  where  Mr.  McPhail  resides.  What 
a  contrast  this  must  have  been  to  the  thickly-settled  district  of 
Kintyre,  in  which  Mr.  Greenlee  spent  his  early  years.  But 
here  he  was  the  owner,  there  but  the  tenant,  and  this  was 


154 

enough  to  reconcile  a  manly  mind  to  the  loneliness  that  then 
reigned  around  him. 

But  the  loneliness  was  not  of  long  continuance.  There 
were  in  Kintyre  many  of  the  hardy  sons  of  toil  who  were 
desirous  of  improving  their  condition.  Hearing  of  Willow 
Creek  and  the  rich  lands  through  which  it  coursed,  and  en- 
couraged by  the  presence  of  John  Greenlee,  an  exodus  com- 
menced which  drained  the  vicinity  of  Campbeltown  of  many 
strong  arms  and  stalwart  hearts,  just  such  stuff  as  could  and 
would  dot  the  prairie  with  flourishing  homesteads.  One  after 
another,  family  after  family,  as  years  rolled  on,  bid  good-bye 
to  the  old,  familiar  shores,  and  crossing  broad  ocean,  pushed 
onward  and  westward  over  canals  and  lakes,  and  stopped  not 
in  their  weary  march  until  their  eyes  gazed  on  the  groves  and 
grass  through  which  Willow  Creek  sluggishly  moved.  And  I 
am  but  speaking  the  simple  truth  when  I  say  that  the  log  house 
of  John  Greenlee  had  an  open  door  for  all  comers,  and  at  that 
door  every  one  had  the  warm  grasp  and  the  cheering  word  of 
welcome  from  its  kind  owner.  So  it  was  that  from  one  solitary 
settler  this  settlement  has  increased  until  now  acres,  more 
and  better  than  are  found  in  all  old  Kintyre,  are  held,  owned 
and  adorned  with  capacious  and  comfortable  homes,  by  a 
happy,  rich,  and  prosperous  people. 

John  Greenlee  took  a  lively  interest  in  religious  matters. 
He  could  say  as  did  Howard,  the  philanthropist,  "Where  God 
gives  me  a  tent,  there  will  I  erect  to  him  an  altar."  He  had 
his  family  altar,  from  which  morning  and  evening  the  incense 
of  gratitude  and  praise  ascended  to  the  God  of  Bethel,  whose 
hand  led  him  through  earth's  pilgrimage.  Social  worship  he 
also  cultivated  and  encouraged,  and  so  free  was  he  from  all 
narrow  bigotry,  so  liberal  and  charitable  in  his  views,  that 
whenever  and  wherever  he  found  two  or  three  gathered  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  he  could  freely  unite  with  them  in  the 
worship  of  their  common  Lord. 


155 

In  the  formation  of  this  church  he  took  a  prominent  part;  a 
church  which  from  the  day  of  very  small  things  has  grown  in 
numbers,  and  in  influence,  and  in  activity  so  much,  that,  I  think 
we  can  say,  there  is  not  its  superior  in  any  small  district 
from  shore  to  shore  in  this  wide  continent.  We  now  worship 
in  an  edifice  which  for  capacity  and  comfort  would  be  no 
discredit  to  the  parish  of  Southend  with  all  its  antiquity  and 
the  accumulated  gains  of  ages;  and  all  this,  although  less  than 
fifty  years  ago  there  was  but  one  solitary  Scotch  settler — John 
Greenlee — in  what  has  grown  into  this  long,  wide,  peaceful, 
prosperous  parish. 

Not  only  did  Mr.  Greenlee  take  a  lively  interest  in  religion 
in  general  and  in  the  organization  of  this  church  in  particular; 
he  was  one  of  the  first  three  elders  of  this  church — was  well 
known  and  highly  esteemed  in  the  church  courts  which  he 
attended  in  his  official  capacity — shared  in  the  highest  honors 
which  an  elder  can  reach  that  is  assisting  at  the  dispensation  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  in  an  assembled  church  court.  Some  twenty 
years  ago  he  retired  from  the  active  duties  of  the  eldership,  but 
he  still  retained  his  membership  here,  so  that  when  he  died,  he 
died  an  ex-offico  elder  and  a  full  member  of  this  church — the 
church  in  whose  formation,  prosperity  and  usefulness  he  was 
so  interested,  and  for  which  he  so  faithfully  planned  and 
earnestly  worked.  In  Willow  Creek  church  he  saw  the 
newly-born  infant,  he  saw  it  grow  into  stalwart  manhood. 
In  early  times,  his  door  was  open  not  only  to  his  own  country- 
men who  crossed  the  ocean  to  settle  beside  him,  but  open  to 
the  ministers  of  religion,  who  found  in  his  hospitable  house 
a  genial  resting  place,  and  in  himself  an  interesting  and  an 
intelligent  and  sympathetic  companion. 

I  saw  the  old  man  but  twice,  first  at  the  funeral  of  his 
brother-in-law,  Mr.  Charles  Brown,  and  again  at  the  marriage 
of  his  granddaughter,  now  Mrs.  Ferguson.  On  the  latter 
occasion  I  enjoyed  his  company  very  much,  and  were  I  to 


156 

define  his  character  from  my  own  observation  during  these 
two  brief  interviews,  I  would  say,  that  he  had  a  kind,  sym- 
pathetic nature,  easily  moved  into  sorrow  by  the  sight  of 
suffering — easily  moved  into  joy  by  scenes  of  pleasure.  I 
judge  that  he  was  possessed  of  a  good  share  of  that  canny 
shrewdness  so  characteristic  of  Scotchmen  in  general,  that  he 
was  keen  in  perception,  prompt  in  action,  but  somewhat  unlike 
his  countrymen,  he  was  rather  communicative;  not  only  able, 
but  ready  to  converse  intelligently  on  a  variety  of  subjects; 
and  should  the  occasion  require  it,  that  he  could  prove  himself 
a  keen  disputant,  wielding  an  argument  with  great  vigor.  He 
must  have  been  a  clear-headed  man  in  the  prime  of  life  and 
possessed  of  a  good  fund  of  common  sense,  and  this  would 
make  him  what  I  believe  he  was  to  many  of  you,  a  wise 
counselor  as  well  as  a  warm  friend. 

I  cannot  speak  of  his  feelings  when  his  departure  was  near; 
another  can  do  that  with  all  justice;  but  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
say  that  a  life  so  active,  so  useful  in  sacred  as  well  as  in  secular 
matters  must  have  ended  in  peace.  His  life  was  one  of 
success,  and  I  am  confident  that  his  death  was  the  most 
brilliant  triumph  in  his  eventful  and  long  earthly  career. 

But  I  must  conclude.  Why  should  I  speak  to  you  of  one 
who  to  me  was  almost  a  stranger — to  you  a  friend  so  familiar 
that  you  all  call  him  Uncle  Greenlee.  I  am  sure  that  to-day 
you  all  feel  as  if  you  had  lost  an  old  father,  an  old  friend, 
whose  cheering  words  inspired  many  of  you  with  courage  as 
you  entered  on  your  new  life  in  the  prairie  where  your  toil  has 
met  its  reward.  The  worshippers  in  this  church  may  now  say 
as  David  said  over  a  fallen  hero,  "A  prince  and  a  great  man 
has  fallen  in  Israel."  Can  you  easily  forget  the  pioneer,  whose 
very  name  inspired  your  heart  with  courage  as  you  sailed  over 
waves  and  travelled  westward  to  the  creek  where  his  log  house 
stood,  and  in  which,  when  once  reached,  you  were  sure  to  find 
shelter?     Can  you  forget  him  whose  words  of  good  cheer 


157 

relieved  your  hearts  of  the  burden  you  felt  when  you  looked 
out  on  the  desolate  prairie  and  saw  before  you  nothing  but 
toil,  toil,  ere  comfort  and  ease  could  reach  you?  Can  you 
ever  fail  to  admire  the  energy,  perseverance,  the  hardy,  stubborn 
front,  which  he  displayed,  in  a  time  of  hardships  and  self- 
denials,  incident  to  pioneer  life?  You  cannot.  When  God 
so  honors  him,  so  should  we.  God  honored  and  blessed  him 
with  an  unusual  length  of  days.  He  has  seen  his  children's 
children  and  peace  on  Israel.  He  has  seen  the  forest  and 
field  covered  with  the  hum  of  industry,  and  the  land  yielding  its 
increase.  He  has  seen  a  temple  for  the  worship  of  God  stand- 
ing in  the  midst  of  a  people  who  gathered  around  him.  He  has 
seen  the  rising  generation  honoring  the  God  of  their  fathers; 
and  all  this  where  he  had  seen  nature  untouched  by  the  re- 
claiming hand  of  toil.  For  what  more  could  he  wait.  Well 
might  he  say,  "Lord,  now  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace." 
So  he  did.  His  last  journey  ended  not  on  the  bank  of  an 
earthly  stream,  but  on  the  bank  of  the  River  of  Life.  Now  he 
hungers  no  more,  thirsts  no  more,  the  Lamb  feeds  him,  leads 
him  to  living  fountains  of  waters;  and  God  has  wiped  away 
every  tear  from  his  eye. 


Caledonia,  Boone  Co.,  111.,  February  9th,  1878. 
Rev.  Ben.  E.  S.  Ely — Sir: — We,  the  undersigned,  im- 
pressed with  the  appropriateness  of  the  sermon  delivered  by 
you  on  the  3d  inst.,  being  the  last  service  held  in  the  Old 
Willow  Creek  Church,  respectfully  ask  your  permission  to 
have  it  printed  for  distribution  among  the  congregation. 
A.  J.  Ralston,  James  Kelly, 

Robert  Howe,  John  McEachran, 

John  Thompson,  Wm.  Wilson, 

Wm.  A.  Ralston,  Edward  Brown, 

James  Picken,  Jr.,  Wm.  Harvey. 


158 

Argyle,  February  15th,  A.  D.  1878. 
To  A.  J.  Ralston,  John  Thompson,  and  Others — 
Dear  Brethren : — 

In  compliance  with  your  request,  I  herewith  submit  the 
discourse  of  Sabbath,  February  3d,  for  publication. 

Yours  fraternally, 

Ben.  E.  S.  Ely. 


LAST  WORDS 

in  the 

OLD  CHURCH  AT  WILLOW  CREEK 


A  Discourse  Delivered  by  the  Pastor,  Rev.  Ben.  E.  S.  Ely, 

February  3,  A.  D.   1878. 
"All  my  Springs  (or  fountains)  are  in  Thee/* — Ps.  84 — 87. 


The  multiplied  duties  claiming  my  time  and  attention  dur- 
ing the  past  week,  have  prevented  my  making  the  preparation 
for  this  occasion  which  it  demands.  I  am  to  speak  "Last 
Words,*'  which  ought  to  be  eloquent  in  recounting  the  un- 
numbered blessings  which  have  welled  up  within  these  walls, 
sending  forth  streams  of  benificence  to  gladden  the  hearts  and 
homes  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  parish.  Is  it  not 
true  that  those  who  have  here  enjoyed  sanctuary  privileges 
have  had  an  experience  of  the  truth  uttered  by  the  Psalmist, 
when,  singing  of  Zion,  he  says:  "All  my  springs  are  in  thee?'* 
From  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  for  twenty-eight  years,  the  people 
of  this  parish  have  come  here  to  slake  their  thirst  at  the  fountain, 
and  returning  to  their  homes  have  borne  with  them  the  waters 
of  life.  As  the  stream  flowing  from  the  Smitten  Rock  followed 
Israel  in  their  journeyings,  so  from  this  house  blessed  influences 
have  gone  forth  to  make  this  community  what  it  is,  in  morals, 
religion,  and  material  wealth. 

First — This  building  stands  as  a  monument  to  God*s  faith- 


159 

fulness  in  rewarding  those  who  honor  him  with  their  substance. 
Men,  and  even  Christians,  have  doubted  whether  the  promise 
of  God's  word  in  reference  to  rewarding  the  gifts  and  labors 
of  his  people  were  to  be  literally  received.  They  have  sup- 
posed that  those  passages  of  the  Scripture  which  declare  that 
the  Lord  will  restore  four-fold  to  the  giver  and  that  the 
liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat,  are  not  to  receive  a  literal 
construction.  It  is  not  long  since  I  saw  an  article  in  a  re- 
ligious weekly,  objecting  to  appeals  for  benevolence  predicated 
upon  such  passages.  It  was  claimed  that  being  misled  by 
such  promises,  some  persons  improverish  themselves,  and  fail- 
ing to  realize  the  return  they  expect,  become  skeptical.  What 
do  these  walls  testify  upon  this  subject?  Has  the  Lord  been 
slack  concerning  His  promise  to  those  who,  twenty-eight  years 
ago,  built  this  house?  Has  the  investment  paid  four- fold? 
Yes,  even  in  material  wealth  and  prosperity,  it  has  paid — not 
four-fold — but  four  hundred  fold.  This  church  has  been  a 
nucleus  around  which  the  Scotch  Settlement  has  grown,  draw- 
ing to  itself  those  who  heeded  the  command  not  to  pitch  their 
tents  more  than  a  Sabbath  day's  journey  from  the  sanctuary. 
Farm  has  been  added  to  farm,  house  to  house,  even  as  Jer- 
usalem crystalized  around  Mount  Zion.  As  the  settlement 
increased  in  population,  its  lands  increased  in  value.  Whilst 
the  material  wealth  of  this  Western  country  and  this  parish 
may  be  largely  due  to  other  causes,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  it 
is  more  largely  due  to  the  establishment  of  schools  and 
churches.  Now,  it  is  true,  school  houses  and  churches  follow 
the  lines  of  railroads,  but  it  is  not  yet  fifty  years  since  the 
railroads  followed  the  churches.  It  may  be  that  these  rich 
corporations,  who  allow  ministers  to  travel  on  half  fare,  do 
not  know  how  much  the  railroads  of  Illinois  and  the  Great 
West,  owe  to  such  men  as  David  Nelson,  Father  Kent,  and 
other  faithful  ministers  that  I  might  name,  but  it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  it  has  not  been  long  since  the  railroads  followed  the 


160 

churches,  making  their  starting  points  and  termini  in  towns  and 
villages  which  had  grown  up  around  the  churches.  Shrewd 
business  men,  having  no  higher  motive  than  gain,  as  a  busi- 
ness operation,  have  learned  that  it  pays  to  contribute  to  the 
erection  of  churches,  knowing  that  their  establishment  leads  to 
the  settlement  and  improvement  of  property  contiguous  to 
them;  that  they  secure  a  much  more  law  abiding  class  of  in- 
habitants, and  by  these  means  enhance  the  value  of  real  estate, 
making  life  and  property  more  secure.  To  these  considera- 
tions, which  are  patent  to  believer  and  unbeliever  alike,  must 
be  added  that  which  will  be  accepted  by  all  who  believe  in 
the  efficacy  of  prayer,  viz.:  That  temporal  prosperity,  as  well 
as  spiritual  blessings  are  received  through  the  worship  of  the 
sanctuary.  Who  shall  say,  how  many  and  how  great  the 
temporal  blessings  are  which  have  been  bestowed  upon  this 
community  because  this  house  of  prayer  has  been  maintained 
in  its  midst?  In  Solomon's  prayer,  at  the  dedication  of  the 
temple,  he  prayed  that  all  needed  temporal  good  might  be  be- 
stowed upon  Israel,  in  answer  to  the  prayers  offered  therein. 

My  friends,  though  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  temporal 
benefits  that  this  house  of  prayer  has  been  instrumental  in 
securing,  as  we  look  upon  its  walls  now  crumbling  with  age, 
we  cannot  doubt  that  God  has  abundantly  rewarded  the  labors 
and  contributions  of  those  who  erected  them,  and  thus  en- 
couraged, we  may  confidently  expect,  as  we  turn  our  faces 
toward  our  new  house  of  worship,  that  He  will  be  as  faithful 
to  His  promise  in  the  future  as  He  has  been  in  the  past. 

Second — There  are  higher  and  more  important  considera- 
tions than  those  which  relate  to  dollars  and  cents.  "All  my 
springs  are  in  Thee."  In  bidding  farewell  to  this  house,  we 
may  well  consider  the  moral  and  intellectual  influences  of  which 
it  has  been  the  fountain  or  spring.  From  Sabbath  to  Sabbath 
for  a  period  of  twenty-eight  years,  the  precepts  of  a  divine 
morality  and  a  high  intellectual  culture  have  been  taught  from 


161 

this  pulpit.     I  think  that  it  is  not  hazarding  too  much  to  say 
that  a  greater  amount  of  knowledge  has  thus  been  disseminated 
through  the  parish  from  this  pulpit  than  from  all  other  sources. 
Viewed  on  its  intellectual  side  alone,  Christian  civilization  is 
the  highest  civilization,  and  education  is  not  restricted  to  the 
foundamental  branches  of  learning  taught  in  our  district  schools. 
Though   reading,   writing,   and   arithmetic,   are  indispensably 
necessary  for  the  practical  affairs  of  life,   there  is  a  higher 
culture  for  the  promulgation  of  which  the  pulpit  is  the  most 
efficient  instrumentality.     Public  lecturers  usually  receive  from 
fifty  to  one  thousand  dollars  per  lecture.      Individuals   pay 
from  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  for  the  privilege  of  attending 
them.     Within  these  walls,  reckoning  fifty-two  Sabbaths  to 
the   year,    for    twenty-eight   years,    fifteen    hundred    or    two 
thousand  discourses  have  been  delivered,  affording  moral,  in- 
tellectual  and  spiritual   instruction   and   entertainment.      The 
results   of    this    instruction   are   seen   in    the   intelligence    and 
morality  of  the  community.     It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  recounting 
to  the  praise  of  God,   that  no  community,   perhaps,   has   a 
higher  reputation   for  honesty  and  intergrity  than  this;   and 
that  during  all  these  years,  since  its  first  settlement,  no  one  be- 
longing to  the  parish,  large  as  it  is,  (as  I  have  been  informed), 
has  been  convicted  of  fraud  or  crime.     In  all  the  surrounding 
towns  and  cities,  where  the  Scotch  Settlement  is  known,  it  is  a 
notorious  fact,  that  the  word  of  a  Scotchman  is  usually  con- 
sidered as  good  as  his  bond.     Of  course  this  is  largely  owing 
to  the  covenant  inheritance  of  the  children  of  the  covenant,  and 
to  faithful  parental  instruction  in  the  Bible  and  the  Shorter 
Catechism;  yet  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  service  of  this 
house  has  kindled  and  kept  alive  those  principles  and  practices, 
which  would  otherwise  have  died  out.     Surely,  if  there  had 
been  no  pecuniary  rewards  to  those  who  built  and  maintained 
this  church,  in  moral  and  intellectual  benefits  they  have  received 
an  hundred-fold. 


162 

Third — There  is  a  third  and  still  more  important  considera- 
tion which  this  occasion  suggests.  As  the  intellectual  and  moral 
is  superior  to  the  material,  so  the  spiritual  and  eternal  is  superior 
to  the  merely  moral  and  intellectual.  That  which  renders  the 
house  of  God  the  most  desirable  place  on  earth,  is  the  fountain 
opened  therein  "for  sin  and  uncleanness."  The  roof  beneath 
which  we  are  assembled  to-day,  is  the  porch  beneath  which  the 
pools  of  Bethseda  and  Siloam  were  shaded. 

Hither  the  halt,  and  the  paralized,  and  the  leprous,  have 
been  brought,  that  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  stirred  the 
waters,  they  might  wash  and  be  made  whole.  Here  the 
Savior  has  met  with  the  impotent  and  helpless,  and  bade  them 
take  up  their  bed  and  walk.  I  am  speaking  by  the  book, 
when  I  say  that  beneath  this  roof  greater  miracles  have  been 
wrought  than  the  healing  of  the  helpless  one  beside  the  pool, 
for  Christ  said,  "Greater  works  than  these  shall  ye  do."  Here 
Christ  has  met  with  his  people  to  quicken  those  who  were  dead, 
to  forgive  sins,  to  strengthen  the  weak,  comfort  the  afflicted, 
cheer  the  sorrowful,  and  shed  abroad  that  "peace  that  passeth 
understanding."  Allthough  unseen  to  the  eye  of  sense,  here 
there  has  been  an  altar  upon  which  Christ  has  been  offered 
"once  for  all"  as  "the  Lamb  of  God  that  beareth  away  the 
sins  of  the  world."  Here,  by  the  sprinkling  of  His  blood, 
believers  have  drawn  near  to  the  throne  of  grace.  Here  the 
anti-type  of  the  seven-branched  candle-stick  has  shed  forth 
cheering  light.  Here  the  table  of  show-bread  has  been  spread 
to  feed  the  hungry  soul.  Here  above  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
and  the  throne  of  grace,  the  antitypical  shekinah,  the  manifest 
presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  has  been  revealed,  that  the  con- 
gregation might  know  that  God  in  very  deed  was  in  the  midst 
of  His  people.  Oh,  Beloved!  every  brick,  every  board,  in 
these  walls,  and  every  tile  upon  this  roof,  has  become  sacred 
because  of  the  blessed  presence  that  has  honored  them,  and 
the  unspeakable  blessedness  of  which  they  are  the  witnesses. 


163 

This  house  has  been  the  birthplace  of  souls — the  place  of  the 
espousal  of  the  Lamb  and  his  Bride. 

Fourth — Though  its  walls  are  dingy  and  its  furniture  old 
and  dilapidated,  this  house  is  the  type  of  heaven,  for — "the 
holy  places  made  with  hands  are  the  figures  of  the  true." 
The  assembly  and  communion  of  God's  people,  in  his  earthly 
courts,  is  an  earnest  and  an  antitype  of  their  meeting  and 
communion  in  the  courts  above.  These  walls  are  precious  to 
us  because  of  the  memory  of  the  sainted  dead  who  have 
worshipped  within  them.  There  is  scarcely  a  pew  before  me, 
that  is  not  a  memento  of  some  loved  occupant,  who  has  been 
removed  to  "seats  prepared  above."  The  middle-aged  and 
adult  can  remember  the  time,  when  their  parents  led  them 
hither,  and  the  bereaved  and  widowed  look  from  the  vacant 
places  here — to  the  place 

"Where  Congregations  ne'er  break  up;" 
"And  Sabbaths  never  end." 

Hither  the  sorrowing  and  disconsolate  have  brought  their 
wounded  hearts  and  found  a  healing  balm. 

In  leaving  this  old  house  of  worship  to  occupy  the  new,  the 
remembrances  of  the  past  ought  not  only  to  fill  our  hearts  with 
gratitude,  but  also  to  encourage  us  to  believe  that  God  would 
reward  our  labors  and  contributions  in  the  future,  as  he  has 
rewarded  them  in  the  past.  When  a  hundred  years  shall  have 
passed  away,  and  that  which  is  now  new  has  become  old,  may 
we  not  expect  that  the  aged  and  their  children  and  grand 
children  will  recount,  with  gratitude,  the  blessings  of  the  past, 
as  we  do  now.  May  not  those  who  have  invested,  and  who 
may  invest,  in  the  new  church  edifice,  confidently  expect,  that 
their  investments  will  be  as  profitable  to  them  as  the  invest- 
ments of  those  who  built  these  walls.  Encouraged  by  the  past, 
may  we  not  pray  without  expectant  faith,  that  God  will  meet 
with  his  children,  from  generation  to  generation,  in  the  house 
we  are  about  to  dedicate,  and  that  streams  of  material,  moral. 


164 

intellectual  and  spiritual  blessings,  will  flow  from  thence,  to 
gladden  the  surrounding  country. 

With  the  favor  of  God,  the  new  church  will  have  a  history 
even  more  glorious  than  the  old.  A  few  years  since  I  visited 
a  church,  whose  brick  walls,  within  which  I  was  baptized, 
have  stood  for  more  than  a  hundred  years.  Among  other 
precious  relics,  preserved  amid  its  archives,  I  saw  the  subscrip- 
tion list,  containing  the  names  of  those  who  subscribed  to  the 
building,  with  the  amounts  they  gave.  Children,  grand- 
children and  great-grand-children  have  looked  upon  that  paper 
with  pride  and  gratitude,  as  they  called  to  mind,  the  history  of 
the  Old  Pine  Street  Church,  of  Philadelphia.  Out  of  the 
loins  of  that  old  church  have  sprung  several  strong  churches. 
Upon  her  baptismal  record  may  be  found  the  names  of  minis- 
ters, missionaries,  and  useful  men  and  women.  The  Old 
Mother  still  lives  in  a  green  old  age,  which  has  been  renewed, 
from  time  to  time,  like  the  plumage  of  the  eagle,  having  the 
name  of  six  hundred  and  thirty  upon  her  roll  of  communicants. 

In  visiting  the  homes  of  this  parish  I  have  often  been  shown 
articles  of  virtu.  Keepsakes,  made  from  the  wood  of  the  pul- 
pit, of  the  Old  Church  in  Kintyre,  Scotland.  From  that  con- 
gregation, still  strong  and  flourishing,  this  church  has  sprung, 
as  a  vine  planted  in  the  wilderness,  some  forty  years  ago,  when 
these  prairies  were  unbroken,  and  these  woods  in  their  primeval 
beauty.  My  friends,  we  too  are  making  history,  as  did  our 
fathers.  With  such  examples  and  experiences  to  encourage 
us,  may  we  not  hope  that  from  the  fountain  in  our  midst, 
streams  will  flow,  beside  which  future  generations  shall 
stand,  as — 

"Trees  near;   planted  by  a   river." 

One  thought  more,  and  the  last  words  will  have  been 
spoken.  Bidding  farewell  to  these  old  walls,  sacred  by  so 
many  memories,  and  turning  our  faces  toward  the  new  house 
of  worship,  just  over  there,  let  us  remember,  that  "though  the 


165 

earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle,"  like  this  old  building,  we  are 
leaving,  is  decaying,  "we  have  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens."  Thither  we  turn  with  joyful  anticipa- 
tion, "knowing  that  the  glory  of  the  latter  home  shall  be 
greater  than  the  former." 

"And  of  Zion  it  shall  be  said,  this  and  that  man  was  born 
in  her,  and  the  glory  of  the  Highest,  Himself,  shall  establish 
her,  and  the  Lord  shall  count,  when  he  writeth  up  the  people, 
that  this  man  was  born  there.  Selah."  *  *  *  All  my 
springs  are  in  Thee.     (Ps.,  Ch.  87;  v.  7.) 


NOTE. — I  have  been  told  that  when  it  was  proposed  to 
build  the  Old  Church  in  Kintyre,  to  which  reference  has  been 
made,  that  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  who  was  of  the  Established 
Church,  refused  to  allow  the  people  to  use  the  material  to  be 
found  on  his  lands.  At  this,  the  men  were  much  disheartened, 
but  the  women  told  them,  that  if  they  would  bring  the  stone 
from  a  place  or  island  that  was  accessible  at  low  tide,  they 
would  bring  the  sand.  This  was  done,  the  men  bringing  the 
stone  in  skins  or  hand-barrows,  and  the  women  bringing  the 
sand  in  sacks,  or  as  they  could. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

977.32H26A  C001 

THE  ARGYLE  SETTLEMENT  IN  HISTORY  AND  STO 


